Ukrainian refugees in Germany will not be evicted en masse after the end of the war

After the end of hostilities in Ukraine, Ukrainian refugees in Germany will not be under pressure to urgently return to their homeland. This was stated in an interview with Ukrinform by Engelhard Mazanke, director of the Berlin Immigration Office, who heads the country's largest immigration agency.

Mazanke stressed that the EU decision to grant protection to Ukrainians has been extended and is valid until March 2027. According to him, no one expects that in 2027 mass discussions will begin on the forced return of more than 1.3 million people in a short period of time without taking into account individual circumstances. "This will definitely not happen in Germany, regardless of the political situation," he emphasized.

He also noted that never before has Germany faced such a large-scale influx of people from a "culturally close country" in a short period of time. Unlike the wave of refugees in 2015-2016, when the country was mostly accepting men from Syria and other regions, Ukrainians are mostly middle-aged women with professional experience and children.

Regarding the forecasts of the return of refugees to Ukraine, Mazanke did not give specific figures, but suggested that the distribution could be approximately equal, based on the experience of refugees from the Balkans. "A lot will depend not so much on employment as on family circumstances," he explained.

Studies of migration within the EU show that the decisive factor for long-term residence in a new country is starting a family, not work or education. "The basis of integration is not a career, but a family," Mazanke emphasized, adding that this factor influences the decision to stay or return.

He also noted that obtaining German citizenship after five years of residence would not prevent a possible return to Ukraine. On the contrary, having citizenship and the right to work and pay taxes can encourage Ukrainians to make informed decisions about their future. Thus, Germany guarantees Ukrainians a safe and flexible environment even after the war is over.