A new wave of migration at the gates of Europe? Leyen warns EU leaders

In a letter to the leaders of EU countries published on Sunday before Thursday's European Council summit, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, warned against an increase in migration due to the conflict in the Middle East and listed the EU's actions in this regard.

In a seven-page letter to EU heads of government and state, von der Leyen noted that as the conflict in the Middle East continues, the EU will need to “remain highly vigilant and ensure the necessary level of preparedness for any future challenges” in the coming weeks and months.

She added that millions of people have already been internally displaced, especially in Iran and Lebanonand although the war has not yet resulted in an increase in migration flows towards the EU, this may change quickly.

– The future remains unclear and requires full mobilization of all migration diplomacy tools at our disposal. It is therefore necessary for us to cooperate with countries in the region, such as Türkiye, Lebanon and Pakistan, wrote the head of the European Commission.

Von der Leyen also listed the actions that the EU has taken, is taking and plans to take in this area, including: In Iran, Syria, Turkey and Lebanon. She admitted that she had been talking to the region's leaders in recent days, and the EC services were closely monitoring the situation in cooperation with member states, EU agencies, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency).

– The EU must be ready to support affected countries and respond quickly to emerging needs on the ground, she stressed.

The politician noticed that in 2025, the number of illegal border crossings decreased by 25%, and the number of people detected trying to cross the border illegally (178,000) was the lowest in five years. – This year, the number of illegal border crossings continued to decline. However, this is not certain, said the head of the European Commission.

Von der Leyen emphasized that a necessary condition for a sustainable EU migration policy is the reliable implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, which will come into force on June 12, 2026. As she admitted, the EC is in constant dialogue with the authorities of EU countries regarding the implementation of regulations.

– We are at a stage where member states must make progress on national reforms and give priority to establishing new procedures and infrastructure necessary for the functioning of the pact – she emphasized, adding that talks are also ongoing on innovative ways to counteract illegal migration.

The politician recalled that the EU had taken important legislative steps by adopting new regulations on safe third countries and the first EU list of safe countries of origin.

– Improving cooperation with third countries on EU returns and readmission remains a key priority. The Commission stands ready to support the negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council on the Return Regulation, she wrote.

According to her, no country can cope with the challenges related to migration on its own, which is why it will be so valuable to discuss this problem at the next meeting of the European Council. It will take place on Thursday, March 19, in Brussels.

From Brussels Jowita Kiwnik Pargana (PAP)

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