At the end of February 2022, the world learned about the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine . Oil and gas prices have skyrocketed and are the highest in years! This is due to weaker exports from Russia to Europe. Parts of the economy in Europe and even in the world are in doubt. Fortunately, many companies are not indifferent to the issue of war and are gradually suspending their operations in Russia. There are also companies that, due to the situation in occupied Ukraine, had to temporarily suspend their operations in this country. For these reasons, the main sufferers are civilians and company employees who have little to do with the authorities' decisions. Now let's ask ourselves how we can help in this matter?
Choose products consciously
The most important thing is to consciously choose the products we buy. It is worth supporting companies in solidarity with Ukraine, those that have withdrawn their operations from Russia. An example of such a company is the German group Messe Dusseldorf Group 
suspending its operations in the Federation and the Norwegian cardboard company Elopak , additionally had to close its branches in Ukraine, but they continue to pay their employees salaries. The opposite of such actions are companies that have still not withdrawn from the Russian market, e.g. Mendi, a company that produces corrugated cardboard, has not yet withdrawn from Russia, from which it generates 12% of its revenues, and has also withdrawn its operations from Ukraine, specifically from Lviv. The packaging industry is not only about producers, but also about fairs and events. An example is Tarsus Group, which postponed the LABELEXPO Europe trade fair for the label and packaging printing industry to September 11-14, 2023 due to supply chain problems. EPIC (European Packaging Institutes Consortium) issued a statement of full support for Ukraine at this difficult time. Moreover, it calls on member countries to cooperate in the name of mutual respect and cooperation based on friendship. However, it does not condemn Russians working in the packaging industry who do not agree with the government's policy. Moreover, when it comes to the packaging industry, the issue of low-density foil is important, due to which a large number of countries are dependent on Russian oil. If the situation on our eastern border does not improve, an economic crisis may occur, resulting in an increase in import rates.
Paper import problem
There was a large transport of paper and cardboard between Europe and Russia. Due to border control, it cannot be as fast as before. What materials related to the packaging industry are imported from Ukraine and which from Russia?
Ukraine:
-3/4 of the paper and cardboard exported goes to Romania, Croatia and our country
- mainly cardboard, wrapping paper, sanitary paper and household paper.
Russia:
-700 thousand tons of paper and cardboard are exported to the European Union;
-Poland accounts for as much as 8% of this practice
-most products are packaging types, mainly corrugated cardboard (the main component of cardboard boxes)
Our role is very important here, we should look at which company we order from and what we support. It's not just about the packaging industry but about every other field, every small step can be used for a good purpose. It is worth supporting those businesses that focus on the freedom and independence of a previously independent country. In addition, it is worth paying attention to certified collections and organizations collecting money or products, because despite the huge tragedy, there are many fraudsters in the world. Don't be fooled, use only proven manufacturers and distributors . This is a very difficult time for Ukrainian citizens. Many of them had to leave their homes and country. We don't leave them alone. From the first day of the war, we have been in solidarity and trying to help, even in the smallest way, let's continue to do so!