Turkey may offer refuge to Ukrainian artists, scientists and athletes

Malkoç stressed that Turkey has vast experience in dealing with the refugee problem

Turkey may offer refuge to Ukrainian artists, scientists and athletes who are fleeing their country amid the war, Turkish Chief Ombudsman Şeref Malkoç has said.

Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukrainein late February, more than 3.3 million Ukrainians have escaped their country, and nearly 50,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Turkey.

Not only Ukrainians but also Russian citizens are seeking refugee in Turkey. It is estimated that around 14,000 Russians have left their country for Turkey within a space of three weeks.

Turkey has reached out to the ombudsmen of the Western nations and particularly the countries neighboring Ukraine to offer Ankara’s help to deal with the wave of Ukrainian refugees by sharing its own experience, Malkoç told, Qazet.az reports.

In response to a question whether Turkey would bring Ukrainian artists, scientists and athletes who have been affected by the war to the country, Malkoç said Ankara raised this issue in a letter addressed to other countries’ ombudsmen. “If we get a positive response, our experts will travel to the region and hold talks regarding this matter,” he added.

Malkoç stressed that Turkey has vast experience in dealing with the refugee problem but nations such as Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Moldova, which have seen a wave of displaced people from Ukraine, lack such an experience. “We need to take care of this humanitarian crisis together.”