SCOTLAND’S Europe Secretary has called on UK ministers to reconsider plans to limit the number of Ukrainian refugees being taken in – calling for those displaced to be welcomed “with open arms”.

Angus Robertson, the SNP Government’s Constitution, Europe and External Affairs Secretary has called on Tory ministers in Westminster to further relax the right to seek asylum in the UK, despite Priti Patel announcing the current rules are being extended.

Yesterday, the Home Secretary was criticised after refusing to waive visas for Ukrainian refugees fleeing the unprovoked invasion by Russia.

Under the revised rules, people living in the UK will be able to bring parents, grandparents, children over the age of 18 and their siblings to the country, alongside the previous rules which allowed dependents to be admitted.

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But the Scottish Government has called for visas to still be waived – pointing to the EU’s position of allowing Ukrainians to enter their countries for three years without visa paperwork.

Mr Robertson told MSPs that UK ministers “not offering a visa waiver for people seeking sanctuary from Ukraine” was a “shamefully” thought-out policy.

He said: “It is possible right across the European Union for where necessary, even in the Irish Republic to do so. The UK is saying they are prepared to allow people to come here to work if they have family members already resident in the United Kingdom.

“Apparently, humanitarian pathways are set to be opened if they are sponsored in the UK. Frankly that’s not good enough.”

Mr Robertson added: “People need sanctuary, we should be taking them in and we should be making the necessary preparations.

“We need to get everything in place for when people arrive and I really hope the UK Government will reconsider what to my mind, and I’m sure the majority of people across this chamber, is frankly not good enough.”

Tory MSP Stephen Kerr stressed that “it is vital that we show our united support for the people of Ukraine”.

READ MORE: Priti Patel condemned after refusing to waive visas for Ukrainians

He pointed to the “role that the UK is playing in shaping the international response and providing military hardware and developing meaningful financial sanctions”.

Mr Robertson admitted that “in general” the response from the UK Government in terms of the economic front and supporting the military efforts has been “commendable”.

Scottish LibDem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton warned that “we need to be ready for what’s coming”.

He added: “We hope that the UK Government will waive visas so that more Ukrainians can reach here.”

He called on the SNP Government to “urgently refresh the New Scots strategy which is due to expire this year” and make funding available to local councils “to house those Ukrainian refugees”.

Mr Cole-Hamilton also appealed to Scottish ministers to “make it easy for Scottish people who are willing to give up their own accommodation to Ukrainian refugees the ability to so do”.

Mr Robertson said that Ukrainians fleeing violence that do not have family ties to the UK “frankly have a right to be here just as every other refugee does”.

He insisted that UK ministers should “waive visa restrictions to be able to come to the United Kingdom” so Scotland can “welcome them with open arms”.