A first aircraft arrives in Frankfurt from Chisinau with 130 women and children
Germany has put into operation an air bridge with Moldova for the transfer and reception of Ukrainian refugees from the small ex-Soviet republic to this country. The first device, a plane from the German company Lufthansa with some 130 people on board, mostly women and children, landed last night in Frankfurt from Chisinau, as confirmed today by the Federal Foreign Ministry in Berlin. The airlift will facilitate the transfer to Germany of refugees from countries bordering Ukraine that are being overwhelmed by the massive influx of people fleeing the war in Ukraine. The refugees were received by the German foreign and interior ministers, the green Annalena Baerbock and the social democrat Nancy Faeser.
As soon as they landed in the financial capital of Europe, the passengers of the special flight were transferred by buses to the town of Bitburg, in the western German region of the Eifel, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, whose authorities had communicated their willingness to welcome them. Other German federal states have communicated that they will assume the reception of other people fleeing the warlike conflict. Germany had previously communicated to the authorities of Moldova, the smallest and economically weakest country bordering Ukraine, its willingness to directly receive up to 2,500 refugees via airlift.
In a statement released by her office, the head of German diplomacy pointed out that she had had the opportunity to speak in Moldova directly on the border with Ukraine with people who “fled with their children and a couple of personal belongings from Russian tanks and who they had been forced to leave their entire lives behind. The arrival of the first plane with refugees in Germany “is a bright sign of humanity in these dark times,” said the minister, who stressed that other planes with more refugees will arrive in Germany these days. “Germany can become the node for a fair distribution in Europe. In view of the terrible suffering of those who flee, we want to offer shorter transport routes, medical treatment and a good reception, ”said the German Minister of the Interior.
Baerbock stressed that in other countries neighboring Ukraine “solidarity points of distribution” of refugees will be created. These may be transferred by plane, but also by special trains, for example between Poland and France or by buses between Hungary and Croatia. The German Foreign Minister stressed that other air bridges will be created and noted that the 27 members of the European Union, as well as the United States, Canada and Japan, among other countries, have announced that they will receive refugees from Ukraine. In turn, Faeser stressed that the freedom of movement in Germany of the more than 300,000 Ukrainian refugees who have already arrived in this country has positive aspects. Many of those who arrived in Frankfurt last night by plane were immediately picked up by family and friends. The head of the Interior recognized that for the German municipalities, responsible for their reception, the refugees pose a challenge, but she highlighted the great solidarity shown by local authorities and the German population.
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