Sánchez: '30,000 Ukrainian refugees already in Spain, 70,000 in a few days'

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Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Thursday that ‘Spain currently has almost 30,000 Ukrainian refugees under temporary protection and that the forecast is to reach 70,000 in a few days’.

He was speaking during a visit to the ‘Reception, Care and Referral Centre’ for Ukrainian refugees in the Ciudad de la Luz in Alicante, accompanied by the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, José Luis Escrivá, and the president of the Valencia region, Ximo Puig.

Sánchez acknowledged first-hand the work of the centre’s professionals and reiterated the government’s efforts to provide temporary protection to Ukrainian refugees by speeding up reception procedures and setting up three centres in Madrid, Barcelona and Alicante, to which a fourth will soon be added in Málaga. ALSO READ: Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante, Málaga – main reception centres for Ukrainians.

‘Spain is once again an example of solidarity, welcome and peace for refugees from Ukraine,’ Sánchez said.

The head of the Spanish government conveyed a message of solidarity and welcome to Ukrainian citizens fleeing the war and demanded a united response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

He highlighted ‘Europe’s patriotism and solidarity’ in its response to the war, highlighting the collaboration and work of all the administrations in terms of reception to cope with the humanitarian crisis resulting from the Russian invasion.