A ferry in France is a floating refuge for more than 800 Ukrainians

When Germany forced asylum seekers to stay on container ships outside Hamburg, rights activists condemned the practice as deliberate isolation and symbolic deterrence.But the Méditerranée — docked in France’s second-biggest city, with entertainment, psychological support and various other resources on board — reflects a more welcoming approach, said Virginie Guiraudon, an immigration researcher at Sciences Po Paris.“This is more meant to be helpful, but in no way a permanent housing solution,” Guiraudon said.The Méditerranée is slated to resume its normal ferry schedule between Marseille and Algeria in mid-June. The movie theater is also used for job fairs with local companies.While the Méditerranée is a showcase for France’s welcoming stance toward Ukrainians, it may also reflect the long-term repercussions of the French government’s less tolerant strategies, said Guiraudon, the immigration researcher.For a long time, “France wanted to deter people from coming,” she said. The experience of many North African and Middle Eastern immigrants here has been grim.That long-standing strategy left the French government largely unprepared for the wave of solidarity that followed the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Suddenly, voters across the political spectrum wanted France to accommodate more and not fewer refugees, even though that sentiment has appeared to be limited to Ukrainians. Many people have appeared eager to avoid conversations about the imminent end of their stay aboard, she said.“I’m not sure they’re really aware that in a month the boat won’t be here anymore,” Dubois said.Prilipko’s shrapnel-damaged car is parked near the dock, with her suitcases still in the back.