Russia says refugee crisis result of disagreement within EU

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday that one of the main reasons behind the current refugee crisis in the European Union (EU) is that its member states have failed to make concerted efforts to confront the issue.

"In fact, the situation has been left out of control. It appears that the reason is not only the massive character of this phenomenon, but the absence of agreement within the European Union on practical measures to solve this complex and long-simmering problem," the ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters.

Therefore, the efforts of the EU member states have been practically futile, she said.

"We hear a large number of loud statements and declarations by European politicians on the need of humane treatment of these people, but unfortunately, in reality, we do not see that these statements have somehow been translated into any action," Zakharova said.

European countries are taking extra border control measures as thousands of refugees are making a rush for their borders.

The European Commission has drawn up an emergency plan to relocate 160,000 refugees around the continent in which migrants are allocated according to each state's economy and population. However, the plan was met with a mixed response from EU member states.

EU interior ministers are expected to hold an emergency meeting on Sept. 22 to discuss the refugee crisis. Enditem