Luxembourg has added Ukraine to a list of countries whose residents can enter the grand duchy for non-essential travel. Visa-free travel between both countries means that Ukrainians can stay for 90 days without needing to report to authorities.

“It is urgent to support the evacuation of Ukrainian nationals forced to flee their country and to facilitate their access to the territory of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg by exempting them from the temporary restrictions at the external borders linked to covid-19,” the foreign ministry said.

However, people arriving from Ukraine by plane will still be required to provide a vaccination, recovery or test certificate. Vaccination certificates issued by Ukraine were already previously recognised by Luxembourg.

Because of the pandemic, Luxembourg bars entry from many non-EU countries unless travellers provide sufficient advance reason to classify their travel as essential or they can provide a vaccination or recovery certificate.

Tuesday’s decision, although largely a symbolic gesture, effectively allows people arriving by road or rail--meaning they transited through another EU country--to enter Luxembourg without needing to provide covid-19 documentation.

Prime minister Xavier Bettel (DP) on Monday said that there are talks at EU level to activate a temporary protection mechanism that would allow refugees to stay longer and seek work without facing a formal procedure to seek international protection.