(Politico) For Afghans desperate to flee the Taliban takeover of their country, Europe had — at best — mixed messages to offer.
As the evacuation from Kabul airport grew increasingly chaotic Monday, with footage emerging of Afghans attempting to cling to a departing U.S. military plane, criticism of the international community’s handling of the crisis mounted.
In EU capitals, some politicians responded to the images with urgent calls to grant asylum to Afghans imperiled by the country’s rapid takeover by the Taliban. Yet the crisis has also renewed migration debates across the continent, with some saying Europe should avoid taking in large numbers of refugees.
EU foreign affairs ministers will hold an emergency videoconference on Tuesday, following an ambassadors’ meeting on Monday that focused on the evacuation of EU citizens and local Afghan staff.
