“We will also feel the effects of the war in Ukraine at home, we must be very clear and very honest in this regard”, underlined Mr. De Croo. The impact analysis is carried out at both Belgian and European level. In his eyes, “we will certainly overcome this blow, but only if we show enough solidarity, within the EU and in our country”.
The Minister of the Economy, Pierre-Yves Dermagne, has asked the Interministerial Economic Commission – which brings together the administrations responsible for the economy at different levels of power – to examine the companies and sectors which might be significantly affected by the conflict.
A shock wave due to the conflict
“Our businesses risk being affected by the shock wave caused by this conflict. Some of them are indeed very dependent on Russian or Ukrainian imports, others are active on the markets of these two countries,” explained Mr. Dermagne in a press release.
For the Prime Minister, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the European reaction, unprecedented in its magnitude, constitute a geostrategic “turning point” for the Union in many areas, not only security, but also defense and energy policy.
An economic and diplomatic strategy
The West’s strategy of isolating Russia (airspace, financial sector, export bans, etc.) is also available at the diplomatic level, stressed Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmès. She says she is waiting for the UN resolution condemning Russia for the invasion of Ukraine as well as the request, to the UN Human Rights Council, for an independent international commission of inquiry into the abuses. Russians in Ukraine. Cultural and sporting sanctions also contribute, casually, to this isolation effort, she said.
Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder was not optimistic regarding the evolution of the situation on the ground. If Moscow seems to have initially underestimated Ukrainian resistance, international unity and logistical needs, it has not yet deployed all its capabilities, observed the minister, on the sixth day of the Russian invasion.
Material and human help
Belgium has already decided to deliver 5,000 automatic rifles, 3,800 tons of fuel and 200 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine. Three hundred soldiers from Marche-en-Famenne (1st and 3rd Lancers) will be sent to Romania as part of a protection and deterrence mission on NATO territory. They will be integrated into a French “battle group”, said the minister. In addition, the four F-16s currently active in the Baltic countries will be given a wider range of action. “Belgium is perhaps a modest partner in NATO in size, but very reliable”, underlined Ms Dedonder.
On the humanitarian level, Belgium has released 3 million euros for Ukraine, in addition to the aid provided via international instruments, and is making hospital beds available. Medical resources worth 3.4 million euros will also be sent, Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke announced on Tuesday. Finally, the requested B-Fast civilian equipment “is on its way”, according to Ms. Wilmès.
Welcoming Ukrainians
As for Ukrainians fleeing the war, half a million refugees have already left the country and this figure might rise to 4 million, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. They go in the first place to the neighboring countries, “which make it an honor to welcome as many as possible, and so far do not report any management problems”, indicated the Secretary of State to the Asylum, Sammy Mahdi.
“But they won’t be able to stand alone if more people continue to flee. It is also up to us, Belgium, to show solidarity within the European family”. For these refugees, EU member states might activate on Thursday, in an unprecedented way, the automatic temporary protection provided for in a 2001 directive in the event of a mass influx. These people will thus be able to obtain a right of residence for one year, which can be extended twice by six months.
As announced on Monday, the federal government will provide a reception center in the former Jules Bordet hospital in Brussels. Ukrainian refugees will be registered there, will be able to apply for automatic protection and will benefit from initial accommodation for a limited period (one to three days). From there, a distribution will be organized towards the local administrations for accommodation. The municipalities, in collaboration with the National Crisis Centre, are responsible for coordinating accommodation on the ground.
Citizen solidarity
Citizens who wish to show solidarity and offer temporary shelter to Ukrainian refugees while waiting for a permanent place of residence can register with their municipality. More than a hundred municipalities have already applied for the reception, in half a day, underlined Mr. Mahdi, who launched a campaign called #placedispo on Monday.
The number of Ukrainian protection applicants in Belgium currently remains limited. This Monday, regarding ninety showed up at the Petit-Château, the arrival center for applicants for international protection managed by Fedasil in Brussels, said Mr. Mahdi. In all likelihood, many were already on Belgian territory, he observed. By way of comparison, last year there were only 118 applications for international protection from Ukrainians. Belgium expects this figure to increase considerably.
