The EU needs to create a bloc-wide distribution mechanism to offset a potential influx, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has said
The lack of US support for Ukraine could trigger a new wave of Ukrainian migrants into the EU, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has warned, urging the bloc to brace for the impact.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Faeser said that while Germany remains committed to supporting both Kiev and hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers who arrived in the country after the start of the conflict in 2022, the EU could face a new, but similar crisis.
“If [Russian President Vladimir] Putin escalates this war further, and American support is withdrawn in the future, leading to a larger refugee movement, it is clear to us that we need a binding mechanism for the fair distribution of Ukrainian refugees across the EU,” Faeser stated.
The minister went on to insist on “a mandatory and binding distribution” of the burden, saying that so far, the brunt of the costs has been borne by Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic.
“That must change if there is a larger wave of refugees,” she said. When pressed over concerns about whether the EU-wide migration distribution mechanism – given its past failures – could help manage the potential crisis, Faeser expressed optimism.
“I believe it can work because the EU feels very committed to Ukraine,” she remarked. “I am confident that if there were a new wave of refugees due to a possible withdrawal of American aid, there would also be support from other EU countries.”
Around 4.3 million Ukrainians have sought refuge within EU countries. Germany has accommodated 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees, accounting for 26.9% of the EU’s total. Poland and the Czech Republic have also shouldered significant portions, hosting around 990,000 (23.3%) and 388,000 (9.0%) asylum seekers, respectively.
As for Germany, it has spent around €8 billion ($8.6 billion) on support for Ukrainian asylum seekers since 2022, according to Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Washington has suspended military aid to Ukraine after a public spat between US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Zelensky. The US president accused the Ukrainian leader of ingratitude for American assistance and a reluctance to seek peace with Russia.
The dramatic shift in US policy on Ukraine sparked fears in the EU that Kiev will have a difficult time fending off new Russian attacks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said if the US halts its military aid for Ukraine completely, it would “probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace.”
