UN says refugee numbers surge to 1.7 million

The United Nations' refugee agency says the number of people who have fled the war in Ukraine has increased to more than 1.7 million. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees on Monday put the number of people who have arrived in other countries since the Russian invasion started on February 24 at some 1.735 million. That's up from more than 1.53 million on Sunday.

Nearly three-fifths of the total - nearly 1.03 million -- arrived in Poland, according to the agency. Over 180,000 went to Hungary and 128,000 to Slovakia.

In Montpellier, France, EU foreign affairs policy chief Josep Borrell called on mobilizing "all the resources" of the bloc of 27 nations to help countries welcoming refugees from Ukraine, including neighboring Poland and Romania.


Borrell spoke ahead of a meeting of development ministers of the EU.