The Refugees of the Russia-Ukraine War
As the war in Ukraine escalates, millions of refugees are fleeing the nation in hopes of finding protection either elsewhere within Ukraine or in other countries. At least 12 million Ukrainians have lost their homes, and many are still looking for safety and protection.
Seven of the 12 million people forced to flee are left internally displaced in other oblasts of Ukraine, while over five million have fled the country. As of October 19, 2022, over 7.7 million Ukrainian refugees were scattered across Europe. More than 4.3 million applied for residence in other countries, with many in Russia, Poland, and Moldova. Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Belarus also opened their borders to refugees, along with Germany, the Czech Republic, and Italy. While many have rushed to the aid of Ukrainians, it is essential to emphasize that help is needed in multiple facets of this crisis as many host countries struggle to provide for the extra civilians now in their care.
While many countries have helped Ukrainian refugees, some that have taken in large numbers of refugees, such as Poland and Moldova, are now in need of aid themselves as they struggle to finance refugees independently. With these rising concerns, it is of vital importance to provide financial and humanitarian aid directly to host countries. Open borders will not be of use without enough resources for proper living situations once refugees have crossed the border. Many host countries are facing struggles providing resources for housing, food, medical care, and other necessary supplies. While these countries have already been struggling with insufficient resources for their own civilians due to the war’s interference with productions and shipments in the region, taking in an unprecedented number of refugees has placed even further strain on even the most welcoming of host communities. As such, beyond asking nearby countries to open their borders to refugees, a pivotal aspect of aid coming from other foreign countries must be to target aid donations to host countries and international organizations working on the ground so that they may in turn be able to aid Ukrainian refugees.
Various efforts are in place to provide safety and assistance to those who have fled Ukraine. The UK in particular implemented the Homes for Ukraine campaign, by which any Ukrainian refugee will be allowed to reside for six months rent-free in the nation with UK residents who offer space in their homes for these refugees. The EU as a whole has given Ukrainian refugees permission to live and work throughout any of its member countries for three years. If these refugees do not have family or friends to reside with, they are housed in reception areas and given any necessary medical care and food, as well as social welfare payments. They are also given information to access housing, education, and any further medical treatment. Unfortunately, the systems in place to provide aid such as Homes for Ukraine and visa applications are being criticized as far too slow and complex. As such, financial assistance is necessary for the countries creating systems to house refugees to ensure sufficient resources so that no refugee is left waiting for basic survival needs.
Despite the efforts being made to assist Ukrainians during this crucial time, there are new needs and new challenges as the war progresses. The safety of the seven million refugees who are still displaced outside of Ukraine is now dependent on directing humanitarian help and financial aid to host nations rather than entirely towards the refugees themselves. It is vital for countries with open borders to receive assistance in creating more efficient temporary residence plans and affording higher costs of necessary living supplies as they are overwhelmed with the number of Ukrainians they have taken in. Without this help millions of Ukrainian refugees, even after they have made it out of the country, will continue to be left to fend for themselves during a time of unthinkable hostility and aggression.
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