“More than 1.3 million Ukrainian refugees have arrived in neighboring countries in recent days”, said Sunday, March 6 on franceinfo Céline Schmitt, spokesperson in France for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The Russian military maintained pressure on southern Ukraine and Kiev on Sunday on the eleventh day of the invasion, with President Vladimir Putin threatening to deprive the country of its “state status” and comparing the international sanctions that hit Russia to a “declaration of war”.
franceinfo: How many people have taken refuge in neighboring countries of Ukraine?
Celine Schmitt: Over 1.3 million refugees have arrived in neighboring countries in recent days. A large part in Poland, more than 700,000 refugees, with almost 100,000 arriving every day. There are also some in Moldavia, in Romania, in Hungary, in Slovakia. There are hours of waiting at the borders of Ukraine to neighboring countries.
Are the reception conditions in neighboring countries satisfactory?
Many efforts have been made by the authorities, associations and the population, but the challenges are enormous. We must quickly set up emergency aid, emergency accommodation for the people who arrive. We have reinforced our teams on site, deployed equipment because when we talk about emergency aid it is also about blankets, and we need specific help for children.
The humanitarian situation is catastrophic in Ukraine since aid cannot enter. What do you know of the situation there?
Indeed, the humanitarian situation is serious, terrible, in different parts of the country. We have more than 100 colleagues on site but there are difficulties in working and access. We recall the importance of protecting civilians, but also the need for humanitarian actors to be able to have humanitarian access, to be able to provide aid. In the places where we can access we have sent aid, we continue to work with our partners on the spot.
Some believe that Ukrainian refugees are given more importance than others in the world. What do you think ?
In this emergency situation, we must mobilize to welcome the refugees fleeing Ukraine. There is a strong mobilization at European level, at the level of civil society. This is extremely important because we are in a humanitarian crisis where the pace of displacement is increasing day by day. So, we have to organize a response. But indeed, this solidarity must not forget the other situations in the world where there are displacements. It’s an additional crisis on top of the Afghan situation, the Syrians, the situation in Ethiopia, in the Sahel. Two days ago we launched an appeal for funds for refugees from Ethiopia. So we continue to call for international solidarity.