Ukraine and the European Union are negotiating to ensure that future EU migration rules help Ukrainians return home next year and support the economy. This was reported by Politico, citing its sources in diplomatic circles, UNN reported .
Details
According to the newspaper, EU migration ministers are going to discuss a new social protection system for the 4 million Ukrainians currently in migration in Europe on Thursday.
If the bloc decides to allow Ukrainian refugees to stay while the war continues, they can instruct the European Commission to create a new system. After all, the current directive on temporary protection for Ukrainians has already been extended twice.
A representative of the European Commission said that "the European Union is ready to support Ukraine and all those fleeing from Russian bombs as long as it takes.
For their part, Ukrainian officials are negotiating with EU officials on the bloc's future migration rules to encourage more of their citizens to return home next year and thus boost the economy.
The diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the publication that although Kyiv had not sent an official request to the EU to facilitate the return of refugees, the Ukrainian side was exerting some pressure to tighten future rules for returning people. One of the diplomats added that this is not a specific request from the Ukrainian government, but rather an attempt to find a solution.
It is noted that in the days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, tens of thousands of Ukrainians enlisted in the army, rushing to the front line. However, two years into the war, the mood of Ukrainian men has changed. This is evidenced by the fact that more than 750,000 men fled to Europe after martial law was declared.
Context
A few weeks after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, millions of Ukrainian refugees fled to the EU under the General Temporary Protection Directive, granted to all Ukrainians. This was an exceptional measure designed to deal with the massive influx of people who cannot return home.
As of November 2023, 4.2 million people across the bloc have benefited from the directive, which is valid until March 2025.
At the same time, Ukraine needs to mobilize men of fighting age. Thus, in December, under martial law, Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60 were banned from traveling outside the country.
At the same time, according to Eurostat, 18% of Ukrainian refugees in Europe are men aged 18 to 65.
Буданов розповів, чи зможе Україна уникнути мобілізації21.01.24, 17:31
Advisor to President Zelensky's office, Serhiy Leshchenko, said in a Saturday interview with a Swiss newspaper :
I believe that host countries should stop supporting refugees so that they can return home.
When contacted by POLITICO about the remarks, Leshchenko said he was speaking personally, not about the president's policies. "But I think that my thoughts reflect the thoughts of many Ukrainians who are now living in Ukraine, as well as many Ukrainian officials who feel the economic stability of Ukraine," he said, but added that he was not aware of any discussion of a temporary protection directive.
Ірландія виплатила українським біженцям понад 750 мільйонів євро соціальної допомоги22.01.24, 13:13
Before the war, Ukraine was home to more than 40 million Ukrainians; the current population is about 35 million. [The EU has warned that Ukraine's population could drop to less than 29 million over the next 30 years.