Tineke Strik, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Madam President, at our borders, Putin is putting the lives of millions of people at risk. His brutal invasion targets the citizens of Ukraine violating international humanitarian law, and people are desperately seeking protection. It is unprecedented how quickly the number of refugees keeps growing, and the EU’s response is unprecedented as well, with the activation of the Temporary Protection Directive.
We applaud the Commission and Council for the swift and united response to give their full support to the refugees and their families. It will only work, however, if every Member State is ready to host a substantial number of refugees. So let the weakest part of the Directive, namely the voluntariness, not become the obstacle for an effective and humanitarian response. Coordination, funding and guidance by the Commission will be much needed.
It is encouraging that the Council includes refugees who lived in Ukraine, but all people fleeing Ukraine must be safe. Referring third—country nationals, even if they lived permanently in Ukraine, to their region of origin, creates huge insecurities and risks, and in our view, this is unjustified, so please do not make any distinction. And this also goes for the border. We hear and see discrimination on skin colour, ethnic background, gender and sexual identity. We need agencies and international organisations to ensure equal treatment and to take care for the vulnerable people.
The heartening hospitality of citizens will not be sufficient with the rising numbers and vulnerabilities, and the Commissioner already also referred to the risk of trafficking for minors. Member States should therefore organise a safe route to hosting locations.
And Zelenskyy was right when he called the transport of refugees to Belarus and Russia immoral, because who wants to find refuge in a country of your own invader? So we must help them, but also the Russian citizens under pressure to find protection in our countries.
Refugees from Ukraine deserve our unconditional support, no matter how long, no matter how many. But let me be very clear. Being forced to flee means the same misery, despair and fear wherever you are in the world. Let this war at our doorstep not distract us from the needs and rights of refugees from other countries. Do not believe politicians who make us believe that protection for the one means less protection for the other.
If we equally share our global responsibility, we can offer every refugee the protection that she or he needs and deserves.
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On Tuesday afternoon, plenary debated with Council and Commission representatives the deteriorating situation for refugees as a consequence of the Russian invasion. According to the UNHCR, more than one million persons have left the country since 24 February, most of them heading to neighbouring countries. The European Commission proposed on Wednesday to activate the Temporary Protection Directive, to ensure that Ukrainians get protection in the EU, including temporary residence rights and access to education and the labour market.
#WAR #Sanctions #Russia #Ukraine #PutinsWar #refugees
In a separate debate on Wednesday morning, in which Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas will participate, MEPs will look into the EU’s role in a changing world and Europe’s security situation in the wake of the Russian aggression and invasion of Ukraine. President Metsola and Prime Minister Kallas will give a press conference after the debate.
These exchanges follow the extraordinary plenary session held on Tuesday 1 March, with the remote participation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Speaker of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (parliament) Ruslan Stefanchuk. Parliament adopted a resolution calling for tougher sanctions against Russia and new efforts to grant Ukraine EU candidate status.
Russian aggression in Ukraine: MEPs praise exceptional solidarity with refugees. As more than two million refugees flee war in Ukraine, mostly towards the EU, member states will have to continue showing solidarity, MEPs said on Tuesday.
In a plenary debate with Brigitte Klinkert, French Minister Delegate for Economic Inclusion, on behalf of the Council, and Commissioner Ylva Johansson, MEPs highlighted the dramatic humanitarian and refugee situation caused by the Russian attack on Ukraine. They praised frontline states for their extraordinary engagement so far, but warned that sustained solidarity across the EU will be necessary in the long-term. Speakers unanimously condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
[ Ссылка ] #eudebates
