Scotland "can rise to the challenge" of welcoming Ukrainian refugees despite a delay in finding homes in the country for those who previously fled Afghanistan, a senior SNP minister has claimed.
Angus Robertson insisted the Scottish Government and local authorities would be able to settle people forced out by the Russian invasion in eastern Europe.
The cabinet secretary for external affairs today echoed calls from Nicola Sturgeon for Westminster to waive visa rules for Ukrainians seeking sanctuary in the UK.
But as many as 300 Afghans are currently stuck in temporary accommodation in different parts of Scotland after they fled the Taliban takeover of their homeland last year.
Council bosses in Edinburgh last month revealed they had failed to offer permanent accommodation to any Afghans in the city due to a severe lack of local affordable housing.
Tory Home Secretary Priti Patel last year claimed Scottish councils were “not playing their part” in hosting asylum seekers - a position denied by SNP MPs.
Asked today in an interview with the BBC if the country was "not coping" with the numbers of refugees already here, Robertson said: "It's not as simple as that.
"The challenge in relation to Afghan refugees is quite particular because of the nature of Afghan society and family size.
"It's not a normal challenge to try and house what are, by Scottish standards, very large families - compared to largely women and children who are coming from Ukraine.
"That is not to say we should be seeking to solve one refugee crisis at the expense of the other - but we need to be careful not to conflate the two.
"Yes, these things are happening at the same time but that should not stop us rising to the challenge."
Robertson added: "I've got quite strong personal views about this.
"My mother was a refugee. She came to these shores because of the Second World War.
"On these current rules, she would not have made it here and I wouldn't be here today.
"If people were prepared to do that at the time of the Second World War, I know they are prepared to do it now and the UK Government needs to rise to the challenge and help people in their hour of need."
Nicola Sturgeon last night stepped up her demand for Boris Johnson to scrap all visa requirements for Ukrainian refugees.
More than 600,000 civilians have fled Ukraine according to the UN.
The EU estimates that up to four million people may try to leave the country because of the Russian invasion.
The Prime Minister has said the UK could take in 200,000 Ukrainian refugees.
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