Hungary has extended protection status for people fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, states in Eastern Europe were preparing for the arrival of Ukrainian refugees at their borders. Hungary, which borders Ukraine to the west, has taken a clear stance against all forms of migration in the past.
The country refused to accept refugees and asylum seekers from the Middle East, Africa and Asia. However, in a decree published Thursday evening, the Hungarian government said all Ukrainian citizens arriving from Ukraine, as well as all third-country nationals residing there, were entitled to protection.
The section applicable to third-country nationals allows non-Ukrainians, such as Belarusian refugees residing in Ukraine, to receive protection in the EU. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had said that Hungary would not play a role in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but that the country would accept refugees arriving at the borders.