UKRAINIANS FIND REFUGE IN PREVIOUSLY UNWELCOMING PLACES.

• Author: Harrigan, Fiona
• Position: IMMIGRATION

THE MASS DISPLACEMENT of Ukrainians triggered by Russia's invasion constitutes "the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II," according to U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. Nearly 4 million people fled Ukraine in the first month after the February 24 invasion, and thousands have left each day since.

As of March, most fleeing Ukrainians had settled in Poland. Smaller numbers found refuge in nearby Hungary, Slovakia, and Germany. Ukraine's tiny neighbor and Europe's poorest country, Moldova, has welcomed more than 350,000 Ukrainian refugees.

Politicians across Europe have extended a helping hand to these migrants, even in nations where refugee inflows previously have been unwelcome. "These are not the refugees we are used to," said Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov. "These people are Europeans. There is not a single European country now which is afraid of the current wave of refugees."

Problematic though that distinction may be, cultural, linguistic, and historical similarities have indeed helped Ukrainian refugees find willing hosts in Europe. Ukrainians do not need to secure visas before arriving in Ireland, and they may work there and access public benefits once they arrive. The resettlement effort in Poland has been largely bottom-up, with thousands of citizens offering to accommodate refugees in their homes. The European Union as a whole will provide refugees with short-term residency and work authorization, among other benefits. Many of the Ukrainians who have been forced...