How to welcome Ukrainians fleeing their country because of the war? According to the UN, 660,000 people have already left the country, while Russian airborne troops landed in Kharkiv on Wednesday March 2, according to the Ukrainian army. They could be in total nearly four million to do so, according to the United Nations.
>> LIVE. War in Ukraine: Russian airborne troops have landed in Kharkiv, according to the Ukrainian army
In France, according to the Minister of the Interior, around a hundred Ukrainians have already arrived on French soil. Some landed at Beauvais airport near Paris, after taking a plane from Poland in particular. Others arrived by road at the border near Nice.
Reception of Ukrainian refugees ➡️ “Our borders must be completely open to Ukrainian nationals and foreigners who were present in Ukraine”, declares Henry Masson, president of Cimade. “There is no question of us making tris.” pic.twitter.com/IbqhBzKbfC
— franceinfo (@franceinfo) March 2, 2022
The government obviously expects more and more of them in the coming days, even if, for the moment, it is too early to give a figure. Several elected officials and several associations have already offered their help, in particular for accommodation, and the government has already asked to send all initiatives back to the prefects. There remains the question of the status of these refugees.
>> Financial donations, donations in kind, welcoming refugees… How can the French help Ukraine?
For Ukrainians already present in France and whose residence permit will soon expire, the Minister of the Interior announced on Tuesday that their papers would be automatically renewed for 90 days, ie approximately three months. For those who have just left their country and who do not already have a residence permit, several scenarios must be distinguished. If they have a biometric passport, they can stay 90 days in France, in application of the rules of the Schengen area. Those who had to leave without their papers will be able to apply for authorization in the countries bordering Ukraine.
France has asked the European Union to unblock for Ukrainians fleeing the war a special device called temporary protection: this is a form of residence permit valid for one year and renewable for two years. The majority of member countries have accepted this principle and should formally record the decision on Thursday. It would then be the first time that this device has been activated since its creation 20 years ago.
At the European level, the Prime Minister, Jean Castex, announced that Europe was organizing itself to distribute the influx of Ukrainian refugees between the different countries. For the moment, the figures vary greatly between the States, the bordering countries being obviously the most concerned. According to the High Commission for Refugees more than 150,000 Ukrainians have already arrived in Poland, more than 70,000 in Hungary, several tens of thousands also in Romania and Slovakia. France is less concerned: the Ukrainian community in France today only represents 17,000 people. This figure will obviously increase in the coming days.
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