Fifteen thousand people have arrived from Ukraine in France since the invasion of the country by Russia, mainly women and children, said Tuesday March 15 on Europe 1 the Minister Delegate for Citizenship, Marlène Schiappa.
Read alsoWar in Ukraine: of all political stripes, mayors welcome refugees
These people are "
displaced
" and not "
refugees
", she said, pointing out that it takes several months to obtain refugee status.
“
We have created, at the instigation of France, a European temporary protection status which is being put in place immediately.
(…) This is the first time that this has been put in place.
This will allow them to return to Ukraine for those who want to return to Ukraine
,” she explained.
Marlène Schiappa denied that the mobilization of public authorities has a link with the fact that this immigration is "
European, white and Christian
", in the words of the interviewer.
“
For Afghanistan, we mobilized in the same way
“, she assured.
Ms. Schiappa is to accompany President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday to a reception center for Ukrainian refugees opened in the suburbs of Angers.
France is able to accommodate up to 100,000 refugees, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said on Monday.
More than 2.8 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the invasion, according to a count released Monday by the UN, which also lists around 2 million internally displaced people.