A mass exodus of Ukrainians risks overwhelming resources in neighboring countries even as Europe pledges to aid refugees fleeing Russia’s invasion.
U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that anywhere from 1 million to 5 million Ukrainians could be displaced as Russian forces enter the country from the north, south and east.
It’s a movement that could well exceed the capacity of Ukraine’s neighbors, some of which have limited resources given a history of resistance to accepting refugees.
“It is unlikely these nations could successfully support a surge of millions of refugees without the support of the U.S. and the wider international community,” Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, which resettles refugees, told The Hill.
Romania has said it could accept up to a half million refugees, Hungary has said it is preparing for tens of thousands and Moldova has pledged to keep its borders open to Ukrainians.
