Demographer assesses how many Ukrainians will return home after war
Illustrative photo: Ukrainian refugees want to return home (Getty Images)
Currently, about 25% of Ukrainian refugees wish to stay abroad. However, a significant portion remains undecided about whether they will return home, says Oleksandr Hladun, a Doctor of Economic Sciences and Deputy Director of the Institute for Demography and Life Quality Problems of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
The number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe has already exceeded 6.2 million. Of these, about 25% have decided to stay abroad, while up to 40% say they want to return. However, according to the demographer, efforts should be made to win over those Ukrainians who are still undecided.
“We need to stay in touch with them, to provide some support. So they see that people care about them and that their country needs them,” Hladun noted.
The demographer also suggested that allocating large sums of money specifically for refugees may not be necessary. Instead, assistance should be given to those who have suffered and whose homes have been destroyed, regardless of whether they are abroad or in Ukraine.
Currently, there are already over 4 million internally displaced persons within Ukraine — people who have left their homes but stayed in the country.
“We need to build all our plans not for 52 million people, or even 42 million. We should recognize and openly say that after the war, there will likely be about 30 million people in the country. And we need to plan the economy, social infrastructure, and future life accordingly,” the demographer emphasized.
Earlier, it was reported that most Ukrainian refugees are ready to return from abroad. Factors that could encourage Ukrainian refugees to come back include a definitive end to the war, cessation of combat and air strikes, a higher standard of living in Ukraine, and the opportunity to find well-paid work.
