Amid the horror that has befallen Ukraine and its people, one rare uplifting aspect of the tragedy is the remarkably warm and generous reception that Ukrainian refugees fleeing the carnage have received from European nations. Not only have governments across the continent rushed to develop the legal and logistical infrastructure to help, but individuals outside of Ukraine scrambled almost immediately after the bombs started falling, opening their homes and their wallets to the millions seeking to escape the Russian invasion.
It’s an inspiring, heartwarming story. But it’s also one that stands in sharp contrast to the callous way much of Europe, including Eastern European countries, responded to other recent refugee crises.
The reasons behind the unsettling gap in treatment of Ukraine’s mostly white, often blond refugees and their Syrian, Afghan or African counterparts are at once simple and complex. It’s a story of multiple forces at work. Some of the factors at play are specific to this crisis and this region, others are common in similar situations around the world.