BRITAIN should be doing more to help asylum seekers fleeing from Ukraine, according to a church leader.

Millions of refugees are continuously fleeing war-torn Ukraine as President Vladimir Putin continues to advance Russian troops into the neighbouring country.

Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, Bishop of Chelmsford, who covers the County of Essex, has said that the government needs to do more to help the millions fleeing from the ongoing Ukraine crisis.

Speaking to the Church Times, she said that the “shocking and horrific” events in Ukraine would lead inevitably “to millions fleeing and seeking safety and refuge in other countries, indeed we’re already seeing this happening”.

She then added: “As a matter of urgency, the British Government needs to cooperate with other countries to ensure there are safe routes for asylum-seekers and plans for criminalising those who arrive in the UK without a visa (which was never a good idea) should now be shelved.

"Along with continued diplomatic efforts, isolating Russia politically and imposing sanctions may well be part of the solution for ending the war longer term, but for now the priority is to provide humanitarian aid where it is need and to act with compassion towards our fellow human beings.”

The British Government originally put the offer out to grant visas to “close family members” of Ukrainian nationals.

The UK’s initial visa offer was restricted to immediate family but widened on Tuesday after plenty of criticism.

The scheme now includes parents, grandparents, and siblings, with applications opening on Friday.

A sponsorship scheme will also allow individuals and organisations to bring Ukrainians to the UK.

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MP for Witham, Priti Patel, said that those fleeing Ukraine are escaping the “most atrocious set of circumstances”, when she visited the Polish border.

Ms Patel travelled to Medyka, Poland to mark the opening of the Ukraine family scheme, allowing Britons and those settled in the UK to bring their relatives over to join them.

The Home Secretary added that work is being done “night and day” to provide refuge to those feeling the ongoing war.

Ms Patel said: “We stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Ukraine but also with our dear friends here in Poland, who are working really night and day, we can all see this, under incredible circumstances.”

The new-expanded family route will allow thousands more Ukrainians to come to the UK free of charge, with three years’ leave to remain and access to benefits and the right to work.

The Home Office on Friday afternoon said it is too early to say how many applications have been made.

Ms Patel added: “While we want people to be able to return to their homes at the end of this diabolical invasion, giving thousands of people a route to the UK is the right thing to do.

“The whole of the UK is united in our condemnation of Russia’s barbaric and cold-blooded actions and the Government is doing everything possible to make certain our humanitarian support is in Ukraine’s best interests.”