The European Commission Braces for a Possible Influx of Refugees from Ukraine

According to the European Commission spokesperson, Brussels has “ready for anything” plans to be applied to various aspects, including the aggravation of the refugee situation. Berlin has not yet seen signs of a possible influx. The European Commission is preparing for a possible influx of refugees from Ukraine to the EU, should Russia invade. This was stated on Monday, February 14, by spokeswoman of the European Commission (EC) Dana Spinant. “We are working very closely with our member states to provide them with the operational support that is necessary at any time,” she said. According to Spinant, along with the package of possible sanctions, there are plans to prepare for anything that might happen in various areas - energy supply, economic consequences, and aggravation of the situation with migrants and refugees. The EC representative did not specify these steps, but referred to the package of measures on migration and asylum proposed by the European Commission in September 2020. The EU diplomatic mission in Kyiv continues to operate The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrel, announced on February 14 that the EU diplomatic mission in Kiev will remain open and provide support to EU citizens. Berlin does not expect a large influx of Ukrainian refugees to Germany at this stage. A spokesperson of the German Interior Ministry said that there are no signs yet indicating the possibility of such dynamics. Nevertheless, the department is monitoring the situation very closely, together with the European Commission and the federal government. USA: Russia can start invasion at any time The US authorities said last week that Russia could launch an invasion of Ukraine “at any time, including during the Olympic Games.” American intelligence and the military, according to media reports, warned NATO that the invasion could be launched on February 16. At the same time, the US President’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that the U.S. cannot predict the exact date. The Russian authorities deny that they plan to attack Ukraine. DW