the conflict provokes a new wave of refugees

In the first hours of the war, all the leaders address their citizens and say it with their hands on their hearts: “We stand in solidarity with Ukraine!” A vast surge of solidarity is taking place. Everywhere in Europe, we open gymnasiums, ferries, we push the living room furniture to accommodate Ukrainians like this family in northern Romania: “I have three children, two of whom are in college, and since the house is empty, we really wanted to help and get involved.“She took in Vadim and his children. “We stayed two nights at the bordersays the Ukrainian We are finally quiet and well received here.”

Polish, Romanian and Moldavian neighbors host the largest number of Ukrainians. “More than eight million border crossings have been counted by neighboring countriesexplains Céline Schmitt, spokesperson for the High Commissioner for Refugees. To date, more than 1.6 million Ukrainian refugees are registered in Europe.”

“Some days, there were hundreds of thousands of refugees crossing the border. This is unprecedented since the Second World War and which requires the mobilization of all to respond to the need for emergency but also for inclusion on more long term.”

Céline Schmitt, spokesperson for the High Commissioner for Refugees

at franceinfo

The European Union is not overwhelmed by this sudden flow. It very quickly launched its temporary protection directive, which had never been activated since 2001, thus facilitating all the procedures. Neighboring countries receive emergency funds. But the Ukrainian crisis has resonances for other refugees around the world, recalls UNHCR’s Céline Schmitt: “In the Horn of Africa where there is a drought, and where the lack of food is exacerbated by the rise in food prices, which is due to the situation in Ukraine, this is pushing people into even more dire situations. It is therefore financial needs and humanitarian needs that are increasing.” For the first time in March 2022, the number of refugees exceeded 100 million worldwide.