Europe needs to begin long-term integration of Ukrainians as war drags on
NL TimesThe European Union member states need to switch from temporary crisis reception to integration for the millions of Ukrainian refugees on the continent. The Russian war in Ukraine shows no sign of ending, which means Europe needs to prepare Ukrainians for living here long-term, the Wassenaar-based think tank Clingendael said on Thursday. The EU’s “historic decision” to implement the Temporary Protection Directive for Ukrainians prevented the union’s asylum systems from collapsing under the continent’s largest protection mission in its own region since WWII and also gave Ukrainians fleeing the war quick clarity about where they could go, Clingendael said. On the contrary, “more refugees are likely to move from neighboring countries like Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania further into the EU as the conflict persists and economic perspectives in these countries of first arrival decrease,” Clingendael said.