Migration crisis in Ukraine: scale, threats, ways to overcome it
OPINION
In the fourth year of full-scale war, the migration situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate. In 2024, the number of Ukrainians who went abroad and never returned reached 443,000. This is three times more than in 2023. In total, according to the State Border Guard Service, about 3 million citizens have not returned to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The labor market in Ukraine has lost more than 3.5 million jobs..
Ukrainians abroad are a key strategic value for the state. Their return should be a conceptual task. It should, but what about in reality?
The Ministry of National Unity, established in November 2024, is in charge of returning Ukrainians from abroad. Recently, it has begun work on establishing a network of Unity Centers outside the country. These are institutions that should become “points of contact” between the state and its citizens around the world. The centers will perform several functions at once, from providing public services to organizing cultural, educational and informational events for Ukrainians in different countries.
I am not going to assess the work of the newly created Ministry. For an objective reason, not enough time has passed. It is encouraging that the government sees, understands and is trying to overcome the migration crisis. However, it is a pity about the lost time and human resources, which will be difficult to get back. But it is necessary to return it, and we need to work on it here and now.
Ukrainians are abroad by necessity. These are people who changed their lives in one day, left their homes and went in search of a better life. Some lost their families, some lost their homes, and most lost their jobs. To bring them back home, we need to forget about the word “coercion”. Instead, we need to motivate them, and every internally displaced person must understand that they are welcome at home. And this means what is waiting for them:
- Work. The Ministry of Social Policy and the Employment Centers have all the powers and opportunities to conduct relevant analytical work and form a list of areas and vacancies for those returning home. The list should be public.
- Housing. Many internally displaced persons are left homeless. And, to tell the truth, they simply have nowhere to return to. The war has taken away their entire villages and cities. And in this matter, people should also feel the support of the state. So we have a rather successful eOsel program, however, successful projects to bring Ukrainians back home in partnership with local construction businesses can also be implemented at the government level.
- Education. I’m probably going to write sensational news for someone, but Ukrainian children abroad who have been living in emigration for 2-3 years continue to choose our universities for their studies and plan to enter Ukrainian universities. At the same time , observing some of the actions of our Ministry of Education and Science, it sometimes seems that education officials are trying to do everything possible to ensure that our young people who have left never return to Ukraine. I won’t go into details now, but the motivation of applicants to return to study at Ukrainian universities, benefits, simplified admission conditions, all of this is in the hands of the Cabinet of Ministers today.
- Security. No one can guarantee security as long as the war continues in the country. However, sooner or later, this war will end with Ukraine’s victory. Until then, it is important not to lose millions of Ukrainian citizens mentally. Accordingly, activities aimed at maintaining social and cultural ties with refugees are becoming extremely important.
To summarize:
Any political statements about the unity of the nation and the reintegration of Ukrainians are good. But the main factor in the return of Ukrainian refugees home is the feeling and full understanding that they are needed here, that they are welcome here. Of course, there is a certain category of Ukrainians who have managed to integrate abroad, learned the language, found a job, and some have already started their own families. And with every year of war there are more and more of them. Therefore, time is not on our side. However, bold steps and real unity of Ukrainians on the way to returning millions of families home can really change the situation dramatically. At least I believe in this.
And not without reason. When you talk to Ukrainians abroad, you realize how great their desire to be at home is.
I would add. We should treat the choice of those who have chosen to live abroad with respect and avoid their clericalism as much as possible. Because only in mutual respect and mutual support is there a real chance of preserving their strong ties with the homeland.
