EU preparing for millions of refugees from Ukraine, Ylva Johansson says

The European Union is preparing for “millions” more refugees fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said on Tuesday. Johansson said it was difficult to estimate precisely how many refugees could stream through EU borders after Russia invaded Ukraine last week, after more than 400,000 had come through so far. #Ukraine #Refugees #War Many of those fleeing have met long waits at crossings into Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania, the EU states bordering Ukraine. “Unfortunately, we have to prepare for millions of people to come,” Johansson told a news conference in the Slovak capital Bratislava. “At the same time we have huge and urgent humanitarian needs in Ukraine, a lot of internally displaced people.” She said she hoped the European Council would activate the temporary protection directive on Thursday giving protection to those fleeing, saying that would be the first time it was used in the EU. The bloc was also looking at the possibility of deploying more people from EU agencies like Frontex to help countries most affected, she said. https://eudebates.tv/ #eudebates Refugee crisis on the border with Ukraine was high on the agenda of the talks between Foreign Affairs Minister Ivan Korcok (a Freedom and Solidarity/SaS nominee) and European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson on Tuesday, TASR has learnt from the ministry’s communication department. They agreed that the EU must be prepared to respond to Russia’s aggression in a united and resolute manner and that the Union must provide Ukraine with political and material support, including humanitarian aid. “The Slovak Government has taken a number of steps to manage the influx of refugees as well as possible. However, we are facing an unprecedented wave in the current situation, so I am glad that the EU and member states are ready to help us,” stated Korcok. According to Korcok, Slovakia has identified the requirements for material and humanitarian aid and activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to obtain them. At the same time he praised a nationwide ‘mobilization’ in an effort to help Ukrainians. “I am proud that the help is provided by the whole of Slovakia – state institutions, NGOs, private companies and a huge number of donors and volunteers from the ranks of ordinary people,” said Korcok. In this connection he informed Commissioner Johansson about the humanitarian aid that Slovakia is sending to Ukraine.