Statement on the arrival of refugees from Ukraine and the application of the Temporary Protection Directive
With a rapidly rising number of refugees fleeing Ukraine due to the war inflicted by the Russian regime´s aggression, Europe is facing the greatest refugee movement since World War II. Our organisations represent Churches throughout Europe – Anglican, Orthodox, Protestant and Catholic – as well as Christian agencies particularly concerned with migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. As Christian organisations, we are deeply committed to the inviolable dignity of the human person created in the image of God, as well as to the concepts of the common good, global solidarity and the promotion of a society that welcomes strangers and values freedom, security and justice in policy and practice.
Since the first day of the attacks in Kyiv, many of our members have responded to the exodus from Ukraine, setting up both small and large-scale support structures, opening the doors of parishes, private houses, or church institutions across Europe, and transferring large scale support to border countries and, where still possible, into Ukraine. It is against this background that we would like to share what we consider important steps to be taken at policy and practice level to respond to the important and increasing needs of the affected population.