The threat of a prolonged war in Ukraine without military backing from the United States is leading European Union politicians to contemplate the emergence of a fresh wave of huge numbers of refugees, Politico reports.
On 5 March, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told reporters:
“If Putin escalates this war even further and the American support should disappear, and if this should lead to a larger refugee movement… we need a binding distribution of the Ukraine refugees throughout the EU, according to a fair mechanism.”
According to Eurostat data, more than 4.3 million people were under temporary protection in European countries in December last year after fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Germany, Poland, and the Czechia have received the most Ukrainian refugees so far, and in the event of a new, larger refugee wave, “that will have to change,” Faeser said.
The German minister said that she doesn’t currently expect another large refugee surge and that it’s “just a scenario” ministers have to discuss. Germany will stand by Ukraine “as long as Putin’s terrible attack against Ukraine continues,” she stated.
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, who said he’d use his Brussels visit to formally inform the European Commission of the brand new Austrian government’s intention to halt family reunification, treated the prospect of more Ukrainian refugees similarly.
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