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Refugee Crisis Briefing
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Whitepaper Available Access:
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Members & Fellows
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Members of U.S. Congress
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Three Seas Region Embassies
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Congressional Roundtable Advisory Available, Contact EEIT for Details
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Embassy Roundtable Advisory Available, Contact EEIT for Details
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National Press Club, Washington, D.C. To Be Announced
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Member Breakout Sessions at May Summit
Briefing Intro
Topics Covered
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Introduction
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War in Ukraine: A Humanitarian Crisis
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Refugee Crisis Response
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Short-Term and Long-Term Costs of Refugee Aid
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Conclusion
Intro:
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been the largest act of aggression in Europe since World War II. Russia invaded from three sides with over 140,000 soldiers, over 50 airstrikes on airfields and other military installations, and supporting actions from the Russian Black Sea Fleet. After the initial phase where the Russian forces penetrated into the Ukrainian territory bypassing large population centers and expecting Ukraine to capitulate quickly, the Russian Army moved into large cities like Kharkiv, Sumy, Mariupol, and Konotop. This resulted in the shelling of civilian targets, increased civilian casualties, and a continuous stream of refugees trying to escape the war zone.
In 2015, Europe faced a migrant crisis where 1.3 million migrants from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia made their way to Europe, primarily through Greece and Italy. This influx of migrants caused friction within the EU, significant social turmoil, and had important economic consequences. The current crisis in Ukraine is an order of magnitude larger - it is estimated that up to 5 million people could become refugees by Summer. On March 9th, 2022, there were over 2.3 million registered refugees, with a daily increase of 150-200,000. Another 1 million people were estimated to be internally displaced in Ukraine.
A crisis of this magnitude requires immediate action. Here we will show what is currently being done to help the refugees from Ukraine, what is the short term and long term outlook, and what are the estimates of the financial aid necessary to support the large number of refugees expected in the coming weeks. Ukraine’s neighbors have responded commendably to this crisis, but they will need a lot of help to see this through to the end. The economic commitment required to provide the basic necessities for millions of people fleeing the war zone is not something they should have to shoulder on their own.