The Ukrainian government is coordinating efforts to encourage war refugees in Germany to return home.
As part of these efforts, so-called “unity hubs” will be established in Berlin and eventually elsewhere to help Ukrainian refugees with job placement, housing and educational opportunities.
“A large number of Ukrainians are thinking of returning home,” Oleksiy Chernyshov, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, told dpa.
Chernyshov, who was in Berlin last week to prepare for the opening of the centers, heads Ukraine’s Ministry of National Solidarity, which was established in December to support returning Ukrainians.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, more than 1.1 million Ukrainians have fled to Germany, more than any other country.
Only 32 million people now live in Ukraine’s government-controlled areas, down from 52 million at the time of independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, according to government figures.
The government in Kiev estimates that between 20 and 25 million Ukrainians now live abroad.
Chernyshov said that due to the declining population, workers are urgently needed in Ukraine, especially in the arms industry, energy sector and reconstruction.
“These are critical businesses or critical industries for us,” the minister said, adding that returnees will be exempted from military duties if they work in these sectors.
However, those Ukrainians who choose to stay in Germany will also be supported, for example when looking for a job or a technical qualification. “They should not be a burden to the government,” said the minister.
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