War in Ukraine: From Brazil to the USA, how refugees have been welcomed

March 23, 2022

Robert

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More than 3.6 million people have left Ukraine since the beginning of the country’s invasion by Russian troops, an event that will complete one month this Thursday (24).

The exodus, as discussed here in this newsletter, is considered the fastest growing since the Second World War and has provoked a rare mobilization of other nations in announcing measures to welcome and assist these refugees.

The European Union, for example, unlocked a standard approved in 2001, in the context of the Balkan crisis, which had never been used. The legal provision facilitates the temporary stay of Ukrainians, who are authorized to live and work in the bloc’s countries for two years – which can be extended for another one, according to the decision of each member state.

If, on the one hand, this opening is seen as necessary and even insufficient given the size of the humanitarian crisis, on the other hand, it has been motivating criticism for the “double standard of reception” compared to other migratory crises, such as those in Afghanistan and Syria.

In an interview with reporter Flávia Mantovani, researcher Jeff Crisp, who was policy director at UNHCR (UN arm for refugees) and at the Global Commission for International Migration, pointed out some reasons for this difference:

Racism: Ukrainians are perceived as “more similar” to the population of European countries and are not associated with terrorism, while migrants from Africa and the Middle East are more subject to discrimination and xenophobia;
Profile: Most refugees are women and children, as men aged 18 to 60 are banned from leaving the country. “Young men are seen as a potential threat,” she says;
Media attention: intense coverage of the conflict makes people more aware of the issue.

This last point, that of selective commotion, was addressed by columnist Djamila Ribeiro in an article earlier this month:

“From the point of view of the war just begun, the racial classification of who can be saved and who must not be saved should be a cause of repudiation equivalent to the commotion of the last days – fair enough, by the way, but when posted alongside the neglect of the black population, it reveals how racism ranks lives and prioritizes commotions”, he wrote.

Marilene Felinto and Helio Schwartsman also addressed the issue of racism in the reception of refugees.

Despite the unprecedented effort, the global engagement to ensure assistance to Ukrainians will be put to the test at the end of the conflict.

Do not get lost

What countries have done to receive Ukrainian refugees? We give four examples:

Brazil: Since February 24, the country has registered the entry of 1,104 Ukrainians, according to data from the Federal Police updated until Monday (21) that include residents and dual nationals. The Bolsonaro government announced the granting of a six-month humanitarian visa for these immigrants and, according to the Itamaraty, 39 authorizations have been issued so far.

The trip by part of this population is promoted by a religious mission — on Friday, a group of 29 people arrived in Brazil to be accommodated in the cities of Guarapuava and Prudentópolis — a municipality that proportionally concentrates the largest community of descendants of Ukrainians in Brazil. . Another 50 are expected to arrive on Saturday.

U.S: Government Joe Biden has been prioritizing financial transfers to humanitarian funds and to European countries that are receiving refugees, and for this reason it has been pressured to create measures to facilitate the entry of these migrants into American territory as well. “The vast majority of refugees want to stay in neighboring countries, that’s where we’ve focused our energies,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said last Thursday (17).

European Union: Unanimously, the 27-country bloc released a rule created in 2001, never used since, that facilitates asylum for Ukrainians and authorizes them to stay in the region for two years (which can be extended to three by decision of each country). The European Commission proposed this Wednesday (23) a pre-financing of 3.4 billion euros (R$ 18 billion) to improve support structures for migrants, such as reception centers, in member nations.

United Kingdom: The country created an aid of 350 pounds (R$ 2,300) per month for people and institutions that host Ukrainian refugees. But it has been criticized for requiring a special visa that puts war-torn citizens in the queue of bureaucratic processes. The Boris Johnson government also authorized the stay for up to three years, after repercussions of a similar measure by the EU.

What happened this Wednesday (23)

On the eve of the summit, NATO said it was preparing new troops to stop Russian attacks;
Putin’s Special Adviser Left Russia Opposing Ukraine War;
Putin said Russia will start selling gas to ‘hostile countries’ in rubles;
Poland announced the expulsion of 45 Russian diplomats on charges of espionage.