Lithuania calls on EU to provide cash for Ukrainian refugees

24/5/2022 12:49

        Lithuanian Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste urged the European Union on Monday to set up a fund that would help countries welcoming thousands of Ukrainian refugees manage the financial burden, just like the EU did for Turkey in 2016.
        
        The United Nations estimates that some 6.5 million Ukrainians have left their country since the Russian invasion started on Feb 24th. Most of them, some 3.5 million, have entered Poland, and almost a million went to Romania.
        
        "In Lithuania, Ukrainians are now about 2% of the population," Skaiste told Reuters in an interview. "In Estonia it is about 2.5% and in Poland about 6-7%, so the numbers for supporting them are quite big. We are asking for some additional funds, which would be helpful in this situation," she said.
        
        The estimate of the average cost of a refugee for the welcoming country is about 500 euros per person per month, Skaiste said, which adds up to large numbers, which will grow further depending on how long the refugees stay.