Ukrainians not welcome everywhere: Where Europe provides least support for refugees

How support for Ukrainians changes abroad

Dariia Mykhailyshyna, a postdoctoral fellow at the Kyiv School of Economics, told RBC-Ukraine that, in general, Ukrainians abroad today must prove they are actively seeking work, learning the language, and ensuring their children attend local schools. This points toward integration into the host country's life.

"Some countries also make conditions stricter for new refugees than for those who arrived earlier. Especially if they have already lived in other countries or left safer regions of Ukraine," the specialist shared.

She explained that 'partly these people are perceived as economic migrants seeking a more comfortable standard of living, rather than refugees fleeing war.'

At the same time, the general trend in European Union countries is a reduction of social payments for Ukrainians and stricter conditions for receiving them.

Which countries support refugee admission the least

Mykhailyshyna reported that overall support for refugees in Europe has decreased, but has not collapsed.

"According to Eurobarometer data (Spring 2025), 80% of Europeans still support admitting refugees from Ukraine. At the same time, support varies from country to country," she explained.

European countries with the lowest and highest refugee support

Currently, the lowest support for admitting refugees from Ukraine is found in:

• Czechia - 53%;

• Bulgaria - 69%;

• Romania - 71%;

• Hungary - 73%;

• Poland - 74%.

Meanwhile, the highest support for our citizens remains in:

• Portugal - 91%;

• Spain - 93%;

• Denmark - 94%;

• Finland - 97%;

• Sweden - 97%.

Earlier, Poland officially announced the end of temporary protection for Ukrainians on March 4, 2026, although the general EU decision extends it until 2027.