EU interior ministers agreed to adopt emergency measures to grant immediate protection to people fleeing war in Ukraine, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson announced, reports news agency MIA.

The “historic decision” means the European Union is to give temporary protection for people fleeing the war in Ukraine, Johansson wrote on Twitter on Thursday at a meeting in Brussels to discuss the issue.

The emergency measures offer a quick procedure for people leaving Ukraine to apply for protection status in any EU member state.

The idea is to avoid overwhelming the systems of member states hosting the most refugees, such as neighbouring Poland.