UK Home Secretary Patel apologises for visa delays for Ukraine refugees
April 8, 2022, 11:43 am

UK Home Secretary Patel apologises for visa delays for Ukraine refugees

We’re extending the hand of friendship to thousands of Ukrainians. With our Ukraine Family Scheme, anyone from Ukraine with a close or extended family member here can apply, while our new sponsorship scheme will provide safety to those without family ties (File photo: British interior minister Priti Patel official Facebook page)

The BBC reported, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has apologised "with frustration" for visa delays that have prevented thousands of Ukrainian refugees entering the UK.

Ms Patel told BBC News that only a quarter of the Ukrainians granted visas, 12,000, have reached the UK.

Would-be sponsors of refugees have criticised bureaucracy and delay in the Homes For Ukraine scheme.

Home Office figures published on Friday show the government has granted 40,900 visas to Ukrainians fleeing the war.

Of the visas granted:

- 28,500 were issued under the Ukraine Family Scheme

- and 12,500 under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme which allow people to sponsor Ukrainian refugees

In terms of arrivals into the UK:

- 10,800 have arrived under the family scheme

- and 1,200 under the sponsorship scheme

Ms Patel said: "Completely, it's been frustrating. I apologise with frustration myself."

She added: "I'll be very candid, it has taken time. Any new scheme takes time, any new visa system takes time."

Ms Patel is the second government minister to apologise for the delays this week, following the refugees minister Lord Harrington, who told parliament that "not enough" visas had been issued.

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Britain's numbers are lower than those accepted in comparable European countries.

The German government said earlier this week it had accepted 300,000 Ukrainians, while 20,000 have arrived in Ireland.

Ms Patel: "Germany is an EU country. They don't have visa checks, their borders are open.

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"It's not like for like. We are an independent third country, and we want to give people the status and security of coming to our country, along with the warm welcome."

Source: BBC

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.