In a recent editorial for the German business publication Handelsblatt, the Catholic Bishop of Berlin, Heiner Koch, has emphasized the need for a stronger European cooperation in refugee policy.
Koch, who is also the chairman of the Catholic charity Renovabis, which supports Ukrainian refugees in Germany and neighboring countries, argues that national isolation in refugee policy is not a viable solution, particularly for a country like Germany, situated in the heart of Europe.
The bishop points to Poland’s reaction to Germany’s “return-offensive” in refugee policy, where Poland threatened to close its borders in response to Germany’s decision to send back migrants at the borders.
Koch believes that a solution to the refugee crisis can only be found by working together with European neighbors, citing the example of Pope Leo XIV, who, during a meeting with Eastern Church representatives, proposed the Vatican as a neutral location for peace negotiations.
The bishop’s remarks come as Poland remains the main destination for Ukrainian refugees, with over 1.8 million registered for temporary protection, compared to 1.2 million in Germany, a much larger country. Renovabis, the Catholic charity, has supported Ukrainian refugees in Germany and neighboring countries through over 500 projects.