Several Ukrainian refugees arriving at the Jaarbeurs shelter in Utrecht on Tuesday were handed a letter advising them to find alternative shelter on their own.

"If you cannot do so, we recommend you try in another country," the letter from the Veiligheidsregio Utrecht (Utrecht Safety Region) stated, as reported by NOS. The Jaarbeurs shelter has since ceased distributing this letter due to its controversial nature.

The Jaarbeurs HUB in Utrecht has been the initial reception point for Ukrainian refugees, offering temporary respite for up to 24 hours before they move on to more permanent accommodations. However, the availability of long-term shelters has drastically diminished, halting the flow of refugees out of the Jaarbeurs. The arrival shelter in Utrecht has been operating at or above capacity for several months, forcing it to prioritize "vulnerable" individuals—children, women, families with young children, people with disabilities or illnesses, and the elderly—since February.

As of Monday, even vulnerable refugees are no longer being accepted at the shelter. The Veiligheidsregio Utrecht announced that "a complete closure was necessary" due to the facility reaching its absolute limits, with no signs of improvement in sight. "We simply can't continue," a spokesperson for the Utrecht municipality told RTV Utrecht. "We had hoped the situation would improve, but it hasn't. The HUB is not designed for long-term shelter, and it would be irresponsible to continue using it as such."

Both the Veiligheidsregio and the municipality expressed regret over this difficult decision but emphasized that the responsibility for accommodating Ukrainian refugees ultimately lies with the national government. The HUB in Utrecht can only reopen once a significant number of long-term shelter spots become available across the country.

Utrecht's mayor, Sharon Dijksma, who also chairs the Veiligheidsregio Utrecht, acknowledged the challenges facing refugees now forced to find their own accommodations. "They can approach any municipality in the country, but we know that there is hardly any room left anywhere," her spokesperson told NOS. This shortage of space is why the Veiligheidsregio suggested seeking refuge in another country.

Currently, about 140 Ukrainian refugees are residing in the Jaarbeurs, and the Veiligheidsregio is working to secure alternative shelter for them. Each week, over 300 Ukrainian refugees, primarily families with children, arrive in the Netherlands.

The refugee organization VluchtelingenWerk also expressed regret over the closure of the Jaarbeurs shelter and called on the national government to "take control" and address the ongoing shelter crisis. The organization reported receiving multiple reports in recent weeks of people being forced to sleep on the streets or in their cars as they are shuffled from one municipality to another, with no available space to accommodate them.