US to welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing war
U.S. pledges $1 billion in aid</b>
Several million Ukrainians have fled their homeland
U.S. entry for Ukrainians could be slow
BRUSSELS/WASHINGTON – The United States plans to accept up to 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion and is pledging $1 billion in new humanitarian aid, the Biden administration said on Thursday after a month of bombardments touched off Europe’s fastest-moving refugee crisis since the end of World War Two.
The announcement coincided with U.S. President Joe Biden’s meeting with European leaders in Brussels to coordinate the Western response to the crisis.
More than 3.5 million people have fled since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, putting a strain on the neighboring European countries receiving them.
- Nearly 3.5 million Ukrainians fled country: UN
- Using pillows against bombs, older Ukrainians stay put amid exodus
U.S. lawmakers and advocates have urged Biden to do more to help those seeking refuge in the United States.
In the first two weeks of March, seven Ukrainian refugees were resettled in the United States, internal U.S. State Department data seen by Reuters shows.
Some Ukrainians have traveled to Mexico to seek U.S. asylum at the southwest border.
A senior Biden official said the administration still expected many Ukrainians to choose to remain in Europe close to their home country but added the U.S. commitment to receive more people would relieve some pressure on European nations currently hosting the bulk of refugees fleeing the conflict, which Russia calls a “special military operation.”
