Europe accused of ‘double standard’ on Ukrainian refugees

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The head of the world’s largest humanitarian network says the quick acceptance of Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s aggression puts a spotlight on Europe’s “double standard” for migrants — compared to its nonwelcome for people fleeing violence in Africa, the Mideast and elsewhere. Francesco Rocca is president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. He said Monday that he doesn’t think “there is any difference” between someone fleeing eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region and someone escaping Boko Haram extremists in Nigeria. He said that “ethnicity and nationality should not be a deciding factor to saving life.”