Ukraine ambassador calls for UK to end ‘bureaucratic red tape’ for refugees

The “red tape” preventing refugees from reaching the UK must end, says Ukraine’s ambassador in London.

Vadym Prystaiko acknowledged the need for security checks but said most refugees pose no threat.

He said paperwork could be done later because many “people fleeing under fire” don’t have access to necessary documents like a passport.

The government has resisted calls to scrap all visa requirements for refugees, citing security concerns.

Speaking on BBC One’s Question Time, Mr Prystaiko pointed out that most of those trying to enter the UK were women with children, as Ukrainian men stayed behind to fight.

“I hope they do not pose a terrorist threat to Britain,” he said, adding: “I hope and pray that the proceedings are closed, any bureaucratic red tape should be dismantled.”

Mr Prystaiko also said Ukraine’s embassy in London can help the government carry out checks once people are in the country.

Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi announced plans were underway in his department to prepare for up to 100,000 Ukrainian children who may need a place in the UK.

He also acknowledged during Question Time that the system for Ukrainian refugees “needs to get better” and promised to increase the number of visas.

Mr Zahawi said: “If there is a malicious state that can use this particular issue to send people into the UK who can harm us, then we need to have some checks in place.

“We’ve got to streamline that, we’ve got to get better at that, and you’re going to see the number of people we’re bringing in growing.”

The refugee crisis has escalated rapidly in recent days as Russia ramps up bombing of civilian areas in cities.

An airstrike hit a maternity and children’s hospital in the southern city of Mariupol on Wednesday.

The attack drew global condemnation as top Western officials warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin could launch a chemical weapons attack in Ukraine

More than two million people have now fled Ukraine, leading to what the United Nations has described as the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.

The European Union is waiving visas for all Ukrainian refugees for up to three years – Poland alone has taken in almost 1.3 million people so far.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has continued to resist calls to drop visa requirements for Ukrainians fleeing the violence – insisting security checks are needed to prevent Russian agents from infiltrating Britain.

Speaking to Mr Zelensky on Wednesday, Mr Johnson committed to further tightening economic sanctions against Russia and reiterated Britain’s “unwavering support for the people of Ukraine,” Downing Street said.

The prime minister also thanked the Ukrainian president for his “deeply moving” and historic address to parliament on Tuesday, adding Mr Zelensky “deserves the admiration and love of the British people,” a spokesman said.

Writing on Twitter after the call, Mr. Zelensky thanked the Prime Minister for Britain’s leadership in ‘fighting the crime committed by Russia [Ukrainian] Country”.

The Home Office has come under pressure to speed up visa processing after it was revealed only 760 have been issued so far.

The government’s response was branded a “disgrace” by Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke, while Conservative politician Sir Roger Gale called on Home Secretary Priti Patel to resign over the situation.

Earlier, the Ukrainian ambassador criticized the bureaucracy of the British system, which he says even resulted in his wife facing delays in applying for a visa when he got the job.

Mr Prystaiko, who took office in 2020, told MEPs on the Home Affairs Committee: “I don’t want to see these pictures of people banging on the doors in Calais and scratching the doors which are pretty much sealed.”

Previously, Ukrainians had to obtain UK visas from a center in Kyiv, he said, but this was then moved to Poland.

The UK government has promised a visa pop-up center in northern France to help process Ukrainian refugees seeking refuge in the UK.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Calais Mayor’s Office told the BBC that 87 Ukrainian refugees had been bussed to Lille for clearance.

The buses were on their way to an undisclosed location on the outskirts of town, according to a separate source, and the refugees were taken there by invitation only.