Integration of forced Ukrainian migrants under conditions of full-scale war: a comparative analysis of EU and Ukrainian practices

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the integration processes of Ukrainian migrants in the countries of the European Union and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine under the conditions of a full-scale war, which has caused unprecedented demographic displacement. Based on statistical data from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the main directions of external and internal migration of the Ukrainian population are examined, and the key countries and regions of migrant concentration are identified. The study systematizes the main components of integration policy, including status-based, civic and legal, educational, linguistic, economic, professional, social, and cultural-religious integration, and analyzes their interrelationships in shaping the conditions for long-term adaptation of displaced persons. Particular attention is paid to the role of educational and linguistic integration as fundamental prerequisites for social inclusion, access to the labor market, realization of professional potential, and intergenerational reproduction of human capital.

Using the examples of Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Italy, the article demonstrates that structured integration programs, mandatory language courses, adaptation classes for children, mechanisms for recognition of qualifications, and employment support significantly reduce the risks of social isolation of Ukrainian refugees and increase their level of economic self-sufficiency. A separate section of the study focuses on the integration of internally displaced persons in Ukraine, taking into account regional disparities, security constraints, and the resource capacities of host communities, as well as the role of state, municipal, and international institutions in ensuring legal status, social protection, housing solutions, access to the labor market, and psychological support for IDPs.

Based on the comparative analysis, the strengths and weaknesses of integration approaches in the EU countries and Ukraine are identified, and the feasibility of forming a balanced integration model is substantiated. Such a model combines the institutionalized and structured European approach with the flexibility and adaptability of the Ukrainian experience in the context of war and post-war recovery.