European Union intends in the near future to activate existing, but never before applied, Temporary Protection Directives, which will allow Ukrainian refugees forced to leave the country due to the war waged by Russia to receive protection in the EU for up to 12 months.

"For the first time ever, Temporary Protection Directives will come into force now. It is a legislative instrument that exists but has never been applied. When these directives are activated, it will allow Ukrainian citizens to receive automatic protection for an initial period of up to 12 months, which can then be extended by six months. I expect this decision to be made very quickly," a senior European official said on Monday in Brussels on condition of anonymity.

He also said he was proud of Europe for how it received 380,000 refugees from Ukraine, who were "greeted with open arms." "I spoke to a colleague from Poland yesterday and he said it was incredible! We at the government [of Poland] have prepared 100,000 places for the resettlement of Ukrainian refugees, but none of these places has been used – at the border we have a huge traffic jam of cars of people who are traveling from Poland to the border with Ukraine not to go to Ukraine, but to welcome refugees and offer them shelter in their own homes," the official said emotionally.