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The government is developing various mechanisms and exploring ways to motivate citizens to come back to Ukraine as the nation needs people for recovery efforts.
This was stated in a comment to Ukrinform by Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Andriy Chesnokov, who took part in the Strategic Discussion on the Involvement of the Diaspora and the Global Ukrainian Community in Ukraine’s Restoration and Development, which took place in Berlin.
According to the official, the discussion was the first event between the previous Conference on the Restoration of Ukraine, which took place in Berlin in 2024, and this year’s event, to be held in Rome this July. The discussion focused on the role of the diaspora and the global Ukrainian community in the Ukraine recovery efforts.
The official praised the importance of coordination with the German Ministry for International Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which became one of the founders of the so-called Skills Alliance, regarding the preparation of Ukrainians for the restoration of Ukraine.
“If the BMZ or other structures set up advanced training courses for Ukrainians, there must be a Ukrainian master, teacher, or lecturer who knows Ukrainian terminology, who could pass it on to our young compatriots here. After all, they must be ready to work not only in Germany, but also to come back to Ukraine once circumstances allow,” Chesnokov explained.
Commenting on the data from various surveys of Ukrainians currently living abroad regarding their future, he noted: people are often guided in their answers by emotions, the current situation of their family, and other circumstances. And in general, it is clear – as long as the war is raging, very few people return.
“But we and other ministries are still working on this. A program has now been developed for the return of those critical specialists who have left country. Mobilization deferrals will be provided for men immediately so that our economy can function,” the government official noted. He recalled the creation of the Ministry of National Unity and that each ministry has clearly identified responsible officials who deal with the issue of bringing Ukrainians home.
According to him, in such areas as arms production, high-tech machine tool building, etc., practically all specialists available in Ukraine are already involved. Therefore, the country is looking for those who worked in such production before, even retirees. They are invited to come back to their home country and continue working in safe conditions, “since this is provided for by the standards that have been developed to this end.”
“Our compatriots abroad are the most important asset for Ukraine’s recovery. We understand that conditions must be created for them to return,” Chesnokov emphasized.
For example, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as per one of its leaders, is working on implementing the EU mechanism “Youth Guarantee”, which has proven effective in Europe. It is aimed at ensuring that every person under the age of 30 is guaranteed a job, or offered retraining to return to the labor market after four months, or entitled to pursue studies they had previously started.
“We see this will be a prerequisite for the return of young Ukrainians. Together with the Ministry of National Unity, the Ministry of Youth and Sports will implement a policy of affirming Ukrainian national and civic identity for Ukrainians abroad. We are currently developing an algorithm for such work. I think this will be another point of interaction between Ukrainian diaspora organizations in Germany and our government,” the deputy minister emphasized.
It should be added that during the discussion in Berlin, Ukrainian organizations in Germany also shared their experience with Ukrainians in Italy, where the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025 will be held in July.
Late last week, Chesnokov was in Rome, where he discussed preparations for the conference at the Italian Foreign Ministry. It will become a key platform for mobilizing international support for Ukraine’s reconstruction, as well as for integrating youth initiatives into the recovery process. The Ukrainian delegation emphasized the importance of youth participating in state building and presented approaches that will allow for major involvement of the younger generation in restoring the country’s social and economic stability.
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