Ukraine warns UN of massive migration crisis triggered by Russian war
Ukrainian Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity Denys Uliutin said this in a comment to an Ukrinform correspondent during the forum held on May 5–8 at the UN Headquarters.
He stressed that Russian aggression has caused the largest displacement of people in modern European history since the Second World War.
“We have 4.6 million internally displaced persons. And, according to estimates by our European colleagues, between 5.7 and 6.2 million people left Ukraine after 2022,” the minister said.
According to him, the state must maintain ties with citizens abroad, ensure they have the opportunity to return, and provide proper protection in their host countries.
During a bilateral meeting with European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, the Ukrainian side raised the issue of extending temporary protection for Ukrainians in the EU, Uliutin said.
Ukraine urged the European Union to define a unified legal framework for the temporary protection of Ukrainian citizens as soon as possible, since “this legal uncertainty creates enormous pressure directly on our citizens and could trigger repeated migration processes, including within the EU,” he said.
The minister explained that individual EU member states are already making their own decisions regarding the conditions for Ukrainians staying in their countries, which could prompt people to relocate to states offering better protection conditions.
At the same time, according to Uliutin, Ukraine must prepare for the return of its citizens, and this requires data from the European Union regarding the composition of Ukrainians who have gone abroad.
“We must prepare the necessary infrastructure so that communities are ready for people to return,” he noted.
The minister also said that Ukraine is negotiating with Sweden on opening a new Unity Hub for Ukrainians.
According to him, such centers provide consultations on staying in EU countries, returning to Ukraine, social and pension support, and also maintain cultural and educational ties with Ukraine.
“This is a certain range of services that will be provided free of charge and differs from the services offered by diplomatic missions,” Uliutin said.
He recalled that the first Unity Hub has already been opened in Berlin.
In addition, the Ukrainian delegation held a meeting with Deputy Director General of the International Organization for Migration Ugochi Daniels, during which the parties discussed cooperation in the field of migration policy.
As Ukrinform reported, speaking at the forum, Uliutin said that Ukraine is creating Unity Hubs for citizens abroad to provide access to information and services.
Photo by: Volodymyr Ilchenko
