UK interior minister escalates response to Ukraine humanitarian crisis
March 7, 2022, 8:45 am

UK interior minister escalates response to Ukraine humanitarian crisis

Truly heartbreaking meeting families, women and children at the Poland-Ukraine border in Medyka who've been forced from their homeland by the monstrous Russian invasion. Our expanded Ukraine Family Scheme is now fully open and today I saw some of the first people who'll apply. While we want people to be able to return to their homes at the end of this diabolical invasion, giving thousands of people a route to safety in the UK, reuniting with their families, is absolutely the right thing to do so (File photo: British interior minister Priti Patel official Facebook page)

The US News reported, citing Reuters, The Sun newspaper reported on Monday that British interior minister Priti Patel wants to set up a new scheme to allow more refugees fleeing conflict in Ukraine to come to Britain.

Britain has already announced visa schemes for those who have family in the country or a willing sponsor, but the government has been criticised by opposition lawmakers for not doing enough to help compared with its European neighbours.

Patel told The Sun, citing her own experience visiting the Polish border last week: "I'm urgently escalating our response to the growing humanitarian crisis."

"I am now investigating the legal options to create a humanitarian route. This means anyone without ties to the UK fleeing the conflict in Ukraine will have a right to come to this nation."

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 and text: British interior minister Priti Patel official Facebook page)

The report said that European Union has agreed to grant temporary residency to Ukrainians fleeing the invasion and give them access to employment, social welfare and housing for up to three years.

Russia announces ceasefire, opens humanitarian corridors in Ukraine on March 7

It noted that France and Britain engaged in a diplomatic spat on Sunday over the treatment of Ukrainian refugees stuck in the French port of Calais.

Source: usnews

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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.