Almost 3 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale military attack on Ukraine, crossing the land border with neighboring Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, and Moldova. Kyiv Post is providing an exclusive insight into the worldwide response to the biggest humanitarian crisis since World War II.
Triggering the “sleeping” Directive
Within just days of the invasion, European Union member states took unprecedented measures by letting in civilians and their pets with all types of ID or even without them.
Acknowledging the scale of the catastrophe, on March 3 the EU adopted a proposal to activate the Temporary Protection Directive, long considered to be shelved.
Drafted in 2001 in the aftermath of the Yugoslav crisis, its purpose is to grant automatic temporary residence and rights to those arriving in the EU as a result of a serious crisis across virtually all EU member states (Denmark and Ireland are exempt from the Directive).
Unlike the traditional asylum-seeking procedure, it offers an array of immediately available benefits, including the right to live, work, have access to social protection and healthcare, and move freely around the EU.
Valid until March 2023 with the possibility of an extension for an additional two years, it applies to ordinary Ukrainian citizens, foreigners, and stateless persons who lived in Ukraine on a long-term basis, refugees unable to return to their country, and family members of these all three groups.
“We were very well-received in Krakow. A lady offered us a nice bed and we stayed there for the night,” recounts Elizaveta, who is preparing to apply for protection under the Directive.
Having fled Kharkiv, the second biggest city in eastern Ukraine heavily shelled by the Russian army, with her child, she is now temporarily residing in neighboring Germany, which has already taken in 150,000 Ukrainians. “I have an appointment with the German authorities on April 5. Right now, I need pocket money the most. I am trying to reinvigorate my Instagram shop and want to go back to Ukraine as fast as possible.”
Refugees arrive to board a bus for further transport after crossing the Ukrainian border with Poland at the crossing in Medyka, south-eastern Poland on March 14, 2022. Poland has taken in the most refugees, with around 2 million arriving in the space of three weeks (Photo by Louisa GOULIAMAKI / AFP)
Unlike Elizaveta, Viktoria Nesterenko, who hails from the suburbs of Kyiv and who also fled Ukraine with three children, came to Sweden intentionally. Her sister lives in the southern city of Malmö which borders with Denmark.
“We are lucky to have family here. Others live essentially in a hostel with very basic food,” says Viktoria who is awaiting her permit, following an official registration at the Swedish Migration Agency. “Our neighborhood is apparently not eligible for food assistance, but we have access to healthcare. My children are already invited to attend classes.”
Most of the newly-arrived registered refugees in the EU are now looking for a job, a challenging task in the non-English speaking European Union. Databases and initiatives, both official (like in Portugal) and unofficial ones, are being created to help Ukrainians find jobs, including non-menial and remote ones to support themselves and those still in Ukraine.
To help Ukrainians store and wire money, EU member states have permitted the opening of bank accounts. Digital banks like Revolut alongside services like Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria Money Transfer, INTEL EXPRESS and TransferGo have also waived some of the requirements to set up a Revolut account, canceled fees for currency exchange and transfers to Ukraine.
Other refugees, however, are still awaiting registration.
Switzerland, a non-EU member state that alongside Norway and Iceland is welcoming Ukrainian refugees, activated from March 12 the provision of temporary “S” protection status for Ukrainian citizens, offering Ukrainian refugees 1,500 Swiss Francs (approximately $1650) a month, is among the most affected.
The migration centers in Bern, Basel and other towns are crammed with people.
“I brought several refugees to Switzerland on March 3. I still haven’t been able to register them,” says Lausanne-based Khrystyna Rosliakova. “They have no funds. I am footing the bill”.
Some Ukrainians fleeing the war refused to take advantage of the Temporary Protection Directive or other governmental offers and are staying in the EU as tourists.
Among them is the Odesa-based yoga teacher Anna Vovk, who fled the country with her French fiancée celebrity chef Stéphane Vaittinadane: “In France, people are also very welcoming, the transport is free. But I do not want to be a refugee. I want to go back soon.”
Echoing her stance, Kyiv-based interior designer Darya Malohrytsenko, temporarily residing in the Netherlands, noted that she is not planning to register under the Directive: “I do not need anything from the government.”
Limited welcome
The response of other countries, especially English-speaking ones, has varied.
While Ireland, an EU member state outside the Schengen area, was among the first to lift visa entry for Ukrainians following the outbreak of war and is actively working on accommodating Ukrainians and giving them access to work, the United Kingdom has been delaying the simplification of entry for Ukrainian refugees.
Known for its high refusal rate and recurrent unjustified decisions in normal times, at the beginning of the war the Home Office refused to allow Ukrainians to enter without pre-checks, making minor changes to its family ties rules, which still resulted in puzzling refusals.
Following a backlash, the Home Office agreed to make several concessions without canceling the pre-checks.
The government is now offering 350 pounds a month to UK families willing to house Ukrainian refugees and has created a site Homes for Ukraine, offering a route to Ukrainian nationals or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national, and were resident in Ukraine before 1 January 2022, who want to come to the UK who have someone here willing to provide them with a home. People arriving will be able to live and work in the UK for up to three years, access healthcare, benefits, employment support, education, and English language tuition.
The situation across the Atlantic also differs.
On March 3 Canada, which is home to one of the largest Ukrainian diasporas in the world,
launched a specialized program called Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel, available for individuals fleeing Ukraine. Although the country shows its commitment to taking in refugees, reports indicate that red tape is hampering the arrival of those attempting to quickly resettle.
Despite U.S. President Joe Biden’s promise to welcome Ukrainians seeking shelter “with open arms”, scattered anecdotal evidence indicates that the U.S. is not delivering on the promise or significantly complicating entry.
Oleh and Nataliya Nikishovy, who fled to Poland, reported that the U.S. Embassy turned down their tourist visa applications alongside all others who applied that day.
“There are no relaxations. Everything is just like in normal times. The chances of receiving a U.S. visa are slim,” they told the Kyiv Post.
A U.S. citizen of Ukrainian origin likewise failed to bring his mother into the country on a tourist visa.
Some legal consultants blame the situation on the absence of an official refugee program in the U.S. that would help America deal with this situation. Besides, Washington has not yet introduced a special visa similar to the one created in the aftermath of the Afghanistan crisis.
In other parts of the world, the authorities are yet to introduce fully-fledged programs for Ukrainian refugees. For example, Australia, which has already granted over 4,000 Ukrainian visas since the Russian invasion began, is considering allowing more to come in on a non-permanent basis.
Meanwhile, Israel, which despite having a visa waiver in Ukraine since 2010, has severely restricted the entry conditions to the country, has reportedly differentiated its treatment of Jewish and non-Jewish Ukrainian refugees.
This story is fluid and is subject to new updates.
