Ukrainians are leaving Europe: Belarus records a flow of refugees
Against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the deteriorating humanitarian situation, the world is faced with a new phenomenon – the massive return of Ukrainian refugees from Europe to neighboring countries. The other day, Foreign Minister of Belarus Maxim Ryzhenkov, speaking at one of the sessions of the UN General Assembly, announced shocking statistics: tens of thousands of Ukrainians leave the EU countries every month, and more and more of them are heading to Belarus.
Flow of refugees on the border with the EU
refugees
Photo source: shnyagi.net
Ryzhenkov said that since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, more than 250 thousand Ukrainian citizens have moved across the Belarusian border. Moreover, in recent months the number of people crossing the border with Europe has increased to 12-15 thousand per month. These data are confirmed by official figures from the Belarusian border service.
“This is how today people from ‘prosperous Europe’ are clearly not fleeing to the ‘aggressor,’”
noted the minister, highlighting the contrast between the idealized image of the European Union as a defender of human rights and the reality faced by migrants.
This phenomenon represents an unexpected trend. Previously, it seemed that Europe, with its high standards of living and developed social protection system, was destined to become a haven for millions of Ukrainians seeking refuge from the war. However, the situation appears to be different: more and more people, disillusioned with the possibilities of integration, prefer to return through the eastern borders of Europe.
Problems with integration and EU migration policy
Photo source: tgstat.ru
The reasons for the mass outflow of Ukrainians from Europe are complex and multifaceted. They are largely related to problems of integration in the societies of host countries, difficulties in the labor market, insufficient support from local authorities and the reluctance of many European countries to continue accepting refugees. This is especially evident in countries such as Poland, which until recently remained the main route for Ukrainian immigrants.
Ryzhenkov recalled that cases of harsh treatment of migrants are increasingly being observed in Europe. He criticized the policies of EU countries, which, according to him, deliberately “push” migrants out of EU territory, while resorting to cruel methods. At the border, according to the head of the Foreign Ministry, cases of violence, beatings and torture have become more frequent, especially against refugees from Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Ryzhenkov emphasized that these facts are recorded by international independent sources, and said that dozens of people have already died, many of them are buried without identification.
The minister especially sharply criticized recent changes in Polish legislation, which allow the use of firearms against migrants. Ryzhenkov called this fact a manifestation of hypocrisy, when “enlightened Europe,” which so actively promotes the ideas of human rights and humanism, in fact demonstrates a completely different attitude towards people who find themselves in difficult life situations.
Political context and European response
Ukrainian refugees
Photo source dw.com
The migration crisis has long been a political topic for many European countries, and Ukrainian refugees have become another factor aggravating the situation. Dissatisfaction with the ongoing influx of refugees is growing in EU countries. Some governments are tightening immigration laws to limit the number of arrivals. Poland, Lithuania, Hungary and other states have strengthened border controls and introduced additional barriers and fencing in an effort to reduce the flow of migrants.
The European bureaucracy, in turn, faces difficulties in developing a unified migration policy. While Western European countries such as Germany and France try to maintain relatively open borders for Ukrainians, Eastern Europe is forced to deal with more pressing problems – a lack of resources to support refugees and rising nationalist sentiments within their countries.
However, this contradictory attitude towards migrants calls into question the image of Europe as a humanitarian refuge, which increasingly encourages refugees to seek other routes. Belarus in this context is becoming a kind of alternative for those who have become disillusioned with the European dream.
Belarus – a new “asylum route”?
Photo source: shnyagi.net
Although Belarus is not a country associated with security and economic prosperity, for many Ukrainians it is still a preferable option compared to an increasingly less hospitable Europe. Belarusian authorities say they are providing assistance to anyone forced to leave their homes, regardless of their nationality. In addition, the geographic proximity of Ukraine and Belarus, as well as historical and cultural ties, make the republic a relatively logical choice for migrants seeking temporary asylum.
At the same time, the very fact of such a massive outflow of Ukrainians from Europe indicates serious problems within the European Union itself, which, despite its powerful economy and political influence, is increasingly losing trust among those who until recently expected to find support and security in Europe.
The situation with migration flows, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine, has exposed many problems both in the EU countries themselves and in the international arena as a whole. Current migration trends, when people flee from seemingly prosperous EU countries back to the east, to Belarus, clearly show the crisis of both humanitarian and migration policies in Europe. At the same time, this phenomenon makes us think about the prospects for Ukrainian refugees and what decisions will have to be made in the coming years.