Running order:

0:00 Welcome and introductory remarks by Megan Gibson.

4:50 Karen Hargrave – trends of public and political narratives in Poland towards refugees and other migrants.

16:50 Kamila Fiałkowska – first-hand account of the situation at the Polish-Belarus border since the outbreak of war in Ukraine and how policy responses to provide humanitarian assistance to other groups have developed.

34:58 Sunder Katwala – trends and shifts in UK in terms of public attitudes or narratives towards refugees since the war in Ukraine.

48:12 Lenka Dražanová – public attitudes across Europe and how the Ukrainian situation has shaped these.

58:44 Q&A

1:18:45 Quick-fire question to all speakers – what opportunities exist to harness supportive public opinion and political narratives towards Ukrainians to influence broader narratives and attitudes towards refugees in Europe?

About the event

Since the outbreak of conflict in Ukraine, almost 5 million refugees have been registered for protection across Europe. For the most part, Ukrainian refugees have been welcomed by the public and politicians alike. As refugees from the conflict began to arrive across Europe, political leaders were quick to express solidarity and promote inclusive policy interventions. In March 2022 EU Member States activated the EU Temporary Protection Directive for the first time since its creation, effectively requiring Member States to grant temporary protection to all Ukrainians escaping the conflict.

This reaction marked a significant departure from ongoing discussions around refugees and asylum in Europe, which have often been marked by fraught political debates, divisive rhetoric and hostile narratives. In spite of commitments under international law, in recent years policy responses in Europe towards other groups of refugees have often been framed in terms of national security and deterring ‘irregular migration’, as opposed to offering humanitarian assistance and protection to those fleeing conflict and persecution. One year on from the outbreak of conflict in Ukraine, this panel discussion brings together speakers focused on Poland, the UK and Europe more broadly to consider questions including:

- How has the arrival of Ukrainian refugees impacted political and public narratives around refugees in Europe?

- What impact has there been on broader willingness to accept refugees?

- Has the arrival of Ukrainian refugees impacted wider policies and efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to other groups?

- What opportunities exist to harness supportive public opinion and political narratives towards Ukrainians to influence broader narratives and attitudes to refugees in Europe?

The discussion draws on recent ODI research in Poland, part of a wider research series supported by the IKEA Foundation, exploring public and political attitudes and narratives towards refugees and other migrants.