The Ukrainian government is ramping up efforts to encourage war refugees in Germany to return home.
As part of these efforts, so-called “unity hubs” will be set up in Berlin and eventually in other locations to assist Ukrainian refugees with job placement, housing and educational opportunities.
“A significant number of Ukrainians are seriously considering coming back home,” Oleksiy Chernyshov, the Ukrainian deputy prime minister, told dpa.
Chernyshov, who was in Berlin last week preparing for the opening of the centres, heads the Ukrainian Ministry of National Unity, which was set up in December specifically to support returning Ukrainians.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, over 1.1 million Ukrainians have fled to Germany, more than to any other country.
Only 32 million people now live in areas controlled by the Ukrainian government, 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 in light of the population decline, workers are urgently needed in Ukraine, particularly in the arms industry, energy sector and reconstruction.
“Those are critical enterprises or critical industries for us,” the minister said, adding that returnees would be exempt from military service if they worked in these sectors.
However, those Ukrainians who choose to stay in Germany will also be supported, for example when looking for a job or seeking professional qualifications. “They should not be a burden on the neck of the government,” the minister said.
