Stowarzyszenie Miasto Wspólne - a Joint City Association - issued an appeal online to Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to donate the funds to help Ukraine.

A statement was signed by Tomasz Leśniak on behalf of the organisation, whose website says it was a group united by a "vision of a friendly, democratic city and opposition to the passivity, mismanagement and arrogance of local authorities."

According to Polish website KRKnews, Leśniak was previously the leader of the Krakow Against the Olympics group that led to a referendum against Kraków’s bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The referendum led to the collapse of the bid.

More than 650,000 refugees from Ukraine have arrived in Poland since the start of the war.

Leśniak has claimed funds for the European Games should be used to support Ukrainians.

"On behalf of the Miasto Wspolne Association, I would like to ask you to withdraw from the organisation of the European Games in Malopolska and transfer the funds planned for this purpose in the amount of about PLN 1 billion (£168 million/$223 million/€204 million) to help refugees and humanitarian support for Ukraine," Leśniak wrote.

"The invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine violates the basic principles of peaceful cooperation between nations and international agreements.

"It is unacceptable to violate the integrity of a free state and to forcefully change its borders.

"Our deep opposition is also raised by the brutal methods of the Vladimir Putin regime, which attacks civilian facilities, including, among others, kindergartens, hospitals and residential buildings.

"At this special moment, we should do everything in our power to ensure that both those who remained on the territory of Ukraine, as well as refugees, receive the necessary humanitarian support.

"The inhabitants of Malopolska - with extraordinary dedication supporting our friends from Ukraine today - expect decisive actions from the Government today, which will restore the sense of security to the Ukrainians.

"Therefore, we appeal to you to donate the funds planned for the organisation of the European Games in Malopolska in the amount of approximately PLN 1 billion for aid for Ukraine."

Funding for the European Games is expected to surpass PLN1 billion.

An agreement was reached in November over sporting infrastructure including the redevelopment of the Stadion Wisły Kraków im. Henryka Reymana.

The 32,000-capacity stadium, the home of football club Wisła Kraków, is expected to receive PLN60 million (£11.1 million/$15 million/€13 million) in funding for a conversion.

Funds will be provided for an expansion of a sporting facility at Kolna, which houses both a canoe slalom course and leisure centre.

Government support will also be given to the modernisation of sporting infrastructure at the Academy of Physical Education and the AGH University of Science and Technology.

A letter of intent was signed in January which outlined funding commitments for the operating costs of the Games, which are expected to be around PLN400 million (£68 million/$90 million/€81 million).

The Minister of Sport and Tourism will cover 50 per cent of costs under the agreement.

Kraków and Małopolska will each cover 25 per cent of the costs, but have declared their expenditure will not exceed PLN100 million (£18 million/$25 million/€22 million).

The funding commitments are expected to lead to the signing of the host city contract for the Games, which has been significantly delayed.

Calls have been made for Poland to withdraw from hosting the Games in recent months.

The 2023 European Games are set to take place from June 21 to July 2 next year.

All Olympic sports are set to provide qualification opportunities for Paris 2024 according to organisers.