OTTAWA — The Canadian representative for the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, says it’s too early to begin to resettle Ukrainian refugees who have fled Russian aggression in their country by the thousands.
Rema Jamous said the scale of displacement from Ukraine is daunting, as some 500,000 people have already fled to neighbouring countries seeking safety.
If trends continue, the UNHCR estimates there could be as many as four million Ukrainian refugees and as many as 12 million people inside Ukraine will need relief and protection.
Still, most people who left Ukraine hope to return home when it is safe to do so, she said.
"We’re talking really, really early days for resettlement," Jamous said in an interview. "People will always want to go home before they think about going anywhere else."
Jamous’ colleagues have reported large numbers of women and children crossing the border out of Ukraine, she said.
Meanwhile vivid images of Ukrainians saying goodbye to their families while they take up arms against Russia to defend their homeland have spread all over the world.
That leaves hundreds of thousands of refugees camped out in neighbouring countries awaiting the outcome of the war.
"You’re going to see probably that people will stay close to the border area," Jamous said. "The overwhelming majority of refugees around the world will stay close to home and they will wait in neighbouring countries for an opportunity to return to their countries of origin."
In the meantime, she said refugees inside and outside of Ukraine’s borders will need humanitarian support, as current resources are likely to be depleted quickly.
“We are looking at what could become Europe’s largest refugee crisis this century," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi in a statement Tuesday.
The United Nations appealed Tuesday to governments for US$1.7 billion to cover the humanitarian costs of the crisis, including US$550.6 million to help refugees who have fled to nearby countries.
That money will be used to supply tents, heat, warm clothing, food and other essentiaxjmtzywls, Jamous said.
In response, Canadian International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan pledged $100 million in humanitarian assistance. That’s in addition to the $25 million Canada has already allocated to Ukraine since the start of 2022.
The UNHCR will discuss resettlement options with countries like Canada at a later stage, but Jamous said typically the demand from people looking for a new home far outstrips the opportunities offered by governments.
Canada has already expedited existing immigration applications from Ukraine and has approved 4,000 since Jan. 19, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said Monday.
He also promised more details about plans to bring Ukrainians to the safety of Canada in the coming days.
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Refugees from Ukraine cross into Poland at the Medyka crossing, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
