The war has forced millions of Ukrainians to seek temporary refuge abroad. Most of them are women with children and the elderly. Their daily experience outside of Ukraine is not only about adapting to new realities, but also about the struggle to preserve their dignity, self-identity and future.

Having lived in Bulgaria and travelled around Europe, I have personally spoken to many Ukrainian women who told me about the real difficulties of everyday life. This allows us to see the situation differently - not just from official reports, but from the inside. And today we have to talk about it openly.

Here are some statistics. By data ccording to the UN, from 24 February to 30 September 2022, 13.4 million people left Ukraine and 6.3 million people returned. In 2024, the number of migrants from Ukraine in the world remained at 6.7 million, including 4.3 million persons with temporary protection in the EU. According to Eurostat, as of the end of November 2024, about 4.2 million Ukrainians had temporary protection status in the EU. There are 1.2 million in Germany, 988,000 in Poland, and 385,000 in the Czech Republic. data According to the Centre for Economic Strategy, the majority of Ukrainian refugees are women. As of December 2024, they accounted for 44% of all refugees abroad. The largest age group is women aged 35-44, most of whom (54%) went abroad with their children.

Language and social isolation

Many countries are currently cutting funding for language courses and volunteer initiatives. For women with young children, this becomes a barrier not only to integration, but also to gaining basic independence - linguistic, professional and psychological. Lack of access to kindergartens or support forces them to remain in a vicious circle of domestic challenges, limiting their development opportunities.

The situation with language courses has become particularly acute in Germany, where the federal government has halved funding for integration programmes to €500 million in 2025. The cuts will primarily affect higher-level vocational courses (B2 and above), which is paradoxical given the acute shortage of skilled workers in the country. For Ukrainian women seeking to gain linguistic independence and professional competence, this becomes a serious obstacle. Similar trends in the reduction of funding for integration programmes are observed in other European countries, which threatens the prospects for adaptation and self-realisation of Ukrainian women abroad.

Pensioners: a vulnerable category requiring additional attention

Older people are in a particularly vulnerable position. Without language skills, without the ability to navigate the healthcare system or social services, without a stable environment, they often feel forgotten. At the same time, they remain carriers of values, experience, culture - and are an important part of our social resource.

The proportion of people of retirement age among refugees is 16%, and in the entire refugee population (including people under the age of 18) - 12%. The problem of receiving pension payments has become particularly acute for pensioners.

The issue of paying pensions to Ukrainians abroad remains a serious one. According to the new Law of Ukraine No. 3674-IX, which came into force on 23 June 2024, pensioners abroad must undergo annual physical identification by 31 December, otherwise payments will be suspended. At the same time, the Cabinet of Ministers has not yet developed an effective mechanism to ensure such payments to citizens who cannot return to Ukraine due to the war. As noted by Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, many pensioners have already faced the problem of blocking payments due to the inability to personally submit an application to the Pension Fund of Ukraine.

In addition to financial difficulties, older people face problems accessing healthcare services. The main obstacles include long waiting times, language barriers and the inability to make an appointment.

Psycho-emotional stress and consequences for children

Women, who are carers, workers and mediators in a new environment, are often under constant stress. Their children, in turn, face adaptation difficulties, school disorientation, and sometimes bullying. In the absence of proper psychological support, this has long-term consequences that can affect both the emotional and educational development of the child.

According to the study ‘Ukrainian refugees after three years abroad’, which was presented at the Centre for Economic Strategy in February 2025, 28.6% of Ukrainian citizens fleeing a major war in other countries are children. As of the end of 2024, there were about 1.1 million children from Ukraine abroad (excluding Russia and Belarus). Of these: under the age of 14: 815 thousand; 14-17 years old: 296 thousand. About 18% of Ukrainian children under the age of 9 are currently living abroad

Observation of Ukrainian children in European countries showsthe study shows that, along with traditional problems of adaptation, serious psychological difficulties that require special attention come to the fore.

The war experience left a deep mark on children's psyches. Children who survived the bombing and hid in basements show disturbing symptoms: they panic at loud noises, refuse to have fun and entertainment, considering it inappropriate during the war in their homeland. The situation is complicated by the need to simultaneously overcome the language barrier and adapt to an unfamiliar cultural environment. Of particular concern is the lack of specialised psychological assistance in Ukrainian educational centres abroad, which greatly complicates the process of children's recovery and integration.

Why does this matter for Ukraine?

Each of these women is a future specialist, educator, entrepreneur, and public figure. Each of these pensioners is a keeper of traditions, a mentor, and a moral support for the family. Children are the future of our country, which is being shaped today, regardless of where they live.

Therefore, the issue of supporting our citizens abroad is not just a humanitarian matter. It is an investment in Ukraine's human capital. In those who will return. In those who will stay but retain their Ukrainian identity. In those who will become opinion leaders, experts, fathers or mothers of new generations in the future.

It is worth noting that for estimates According to the International Labour Organization, about 3 million of the Ukrainian citizens who remain abroad are of working age. In total, 83% of all refugees have higher or incomplete higher education; 30% of migrants are highly qualified specialists, 12% are skilled workers, 14% are managers of enterprises or departments, and 14% are entrepreneurs. This is a huge intellectual and professional potential that should remain a part of Ukrainian society regardless of their place of residence.

Conclusions: a support and integration strategy is needed

Analysing the situation of Ukrainian refugees in Europe, we conclude that 2025 will be a turning point in many ways. The reduction of social programmes and the introduction of new requirements for staying in EU countries require Ukraine to take a strategic approach to supporting its citizens abroad, especially the most vulnerable categories - women with children and pensioners.

Our current priorities are:

• Focus international attention on preserving access to language and psychological support through the creation of special funds and co-financing programmes with the EU to compensate for the reduction in national budgets of European countries for integration courses.
• To develop partnerships with local communities, charities and Ukrainian associations in Europe, creating a support network that will operate regardless of changes in the state policy of the host countries.
• Introduce systematic support for pensioners and mothers with children, both informational and domestic. It is critically important that the Cabinet of Ministers approves a mechanism for ensuring pension payments to citizens abroad that takes into account the realities of wartime.
• Create platforms for preserving cultural unity and the Ukrainian language among the diaspora, especially by supporting Saturday and Sunday schools, which often operate on a volunteer basis and lack sufficient resources to work with traumatised children.
• Launch a special psychological support programme for Ukrainian children abroad, which would take into account both war trauma and the stress of adapting to a new environment.

The NGO Svit.UA, uniting the efforts of Ukrainians abroad, actively calls for attention to the above-mentioned problems at both the national and international levels. The organisation places special emphasis on the need to create a comprehensive strategy for working with the Ukrainian diaspora that was formed as a result of the war in order to preserve the human potential for the future reconstruction of Ukraine.

These steps will not only make everyday life easier for our fellow citizens abroad, but will also strengthen the connection with the homeland, making them true ambassadors of Ukrainian culture, strength and resilience in the world. Supporting Ukrainian emigrants should become a priority for Ukraine's foreign policy and the public sector, as it is about preserving the national human capital that will determine Ukraine's future after the victory.