BRUSSELS, April 15. /TASS/. European countries may soon alter their policy with regard to Ukrainian migrants, Vilde Hernes, senior researcher at Oslo Metropolitan University and associate professor at the University of Oslo, said in an opinion column for Politico.

"We must remember that the EU’s [Temporary Protection Directives] and other similar national regulations were meant as a temporary solution to tackle the large influx of persons fleeing the war in Ukraine — these protection permits are set to expire next year," she said. "We may well see a new ‘race to the bottom’ in relation to policies affecting Ukrainian refugees, as countries could again attempt to avoid becoming an attractive destination," the expert noted, recalling the 2015-2016 migration crisis.

She stressed that the protection permits for Ukrainian migrants contain many restrictions "such as fewer integration measures, less financial assistance, and no path to permanent residency."

According to the scholar, "Europe’s solidarity could be put to the test when these temporary permits expire in 2025 — if not sooner."