Afghanistan: European Union urges member states to accept Afghan refugees – franceinfo

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, urged on Saturday August 21 all countries, primarily those of the European Union (EU), to welcome some of the Afghan refugees exfiltrated from Kabul. Visiting a reception center in Spain for Afghan EU employees repatriated from Kabul, it declared that he wanted these states to be able to “come to the aid of those in need of protection “.

“The Commission is ready to consider the necessary budgetary means to support EU Member States which will offer to help refugees settle on their territory”, she continued at a press conference at the Torrejón de Ardoz military base, northeast of Madrid, where the reception center has been set up.

Accompanied by the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, previously visited the facilities made available to refugees within this reception center. All Afghan staff who worked in Kabul for the EU institutions and their families must pass through this Spanish center, before getting to know their host country to start a new life there.

Asked about relations between the European Union and the Taliban, the President of the European Commission also insisted on the fact that, if there was indeed “operational contacts” with them on the ground to “save lives”, There was not “no political dialogue” with Islamist fighters and therefore “no recognition of the Taliban”.