Demography is one of the key factors shaping Ukraine’s future. It’s not just about recovering the economy, security and sustainable development — it’s also about preserving the Ukrainian state and identity. Russia’s full-scale military aggression has deepened already critical issues: mass emigration, declining birth rates, and high mortality. According to researchers, around 31 million people currently live in Ukrainian-controlled territories, five million have sought refuge abroad, been forcibly displaced, or deported by Russia, and a similar number remain in temporarily occupied territories.
Will Ukraine be able to cope with the demographic challenges of this scale, and how realistic is the government-approved demographic development strategy? Under what conditions will Ukrainians stay in the country, have children, and return from abroad? Why can't we avoid the need to attract migrants? How can this process be managed, and how can we prepare for the integration of foreigners into Ukrainian society?
Speakers:
Hlib Vyshlinskyi, Executive Director of the Centre for Economic Strategy
Nataliia Zaika, Researcher at the Institute of Behavioural Studies, American University Kyiv
Maksym Butkevych, Human Rights Defender
Moderator:
Olha Dukhnich, Editor and Journalist at NV, Head of the “Demography and Migration” Program at the Institute for the Frontier
