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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Pete McKenzie in Wellington

‘Desperate and pleading for action’: New Zealand under pressure to help Ukraine refugees

Ukrainian families arrive at the Polish-Ukrainian border crossing in Medyka
New Zealanders with family in Ukraine have called on their government to allow in more refugees, as the UN says 1.3 million people have fled the Russian invasion. Photograph: Dominika Zarzycka/Sopa Images/Rex/Shutterstock

A group of “desperate” New Zealanders with Ukrainian friends and family have called on the government in Wellington to allow visa-free travel for people from Ukraine, as other western countries loosen their entry rules to allow in more of those fleeing the Russian invasion.

New Zealand’s government has so far resisted calls to change its refugee system in response to the crisis, which the UN says has caused more than 1.3 million Ukrainians to leave their country.

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