EU countries should show more solidarity in the reception of refugees from Ukraine the coming winter. This was stated by the head of the leading faction of the European Parliament – the European People’s Party (UNP) Manfred Weber in an interview with Bild Am Sonntag.
“Western Europe will have to take on more responsibility if the influx of Ukrainian refugees increases this winter. This unprecedented challenge should be decided by all EU countries in the spirit of solidarity,” he said.
Earlier on the same issue, the European Commissioner for internal affairs Ilva Johansson spoke. She emphasized that Ukrainians have the same access to social systems throughout the European Union.
“In the last nine months, refugees from Ukraine mainly left where they have friends or family, their own proximity to their homeland and acquaintance with culture. The member state, which still have potential, clearly build up their efforts. To help the member states who are at the limit of opportunities, ”she said, indicating that the solidarity between the European Union countries was not violated.
The migration expert Herald Knaus in an interview with one of the European publications argued that it is much more difficult for Ukrainian refugees to gain a foothold in France than in Germany. “France pays less money to refugees, and it is very difficult to rent an apartment, pay a high bail. If France, Italy or Spain would have accepted as many people as, for example, the Czech Republic, the situation would be completely different,” the expert is sure.
On November 23, the Office of the UN Supreme Commissioner for Refugees reported that from the beginning of the war of Russia against Ukraine on February 24 to November 22, 2022, a total of 7,861,084 refugees from Ukraine.