Over 5M Ukrainians could flee to Europe: Top EU diplomat

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) – Over 5 million Ukrainian refugees could end up in other European countries after fleeing the war, said a top EU official on Monday, sharply up from the current figure of 1.7 million.

“There might be 5 million refugees arriving in Europe, according to reasonable estimates,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told a news conference following an informal meeting of EU ministers in charge of development in Montpellier, France.

He called the speed and number of arrivals “unprecedented” since World War II and warned that over “18 million people can be affected by the crisis in Ukraine.”

“This is not the same EU as it was 10 days ago,” added French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Borrell said that EU ministers discussed how the first payment of €100 million ($109 million) of a €500 million EU humanitarian aid package should be immediately disbursed to Ukraine and neighboring Moldova.

Borrell also said he recently had a call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi about Beijing’s role in supporting negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.

“It is clear that China can play a role, not as a mediator because China is much closer to Russia” and “has some influence over Russia,” he asserted.

Since it began on Feb. 24, the war on Ukraine has drawn international condemnation, led to financial sanctions on Moscow, and spurred an exodus of global companies from Russia.

At least 406 civilians have been killed and 801 others injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, according to UN figures.

More than 1.7 million people have also fled to neighboring countries, the UNHCR said.