The key facts
- In an interview with Fox News, Zelensky cited a figure of 9.5 million people who have lost their homes and are abroad
- He did not disclose the sources of the data or specific measures for returning citizens
- According to the IFO study, in a favorable scenario 47% of refugees are ready to return; under less optimistic conditions — 3%
Zelensky's statement
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that the country needs the return of 9.5 million people who have lost their homes and are currently abroad. According to him, Ukraine needs people ready to return home and take part in rebuilding the country. 'We need 9.5 million people who have lost their homes and are abroad — we need them to return to Ukraine, simply to live and build their country,' Zelensky said in an interview with Fox News, reports Life.ru.
What remains unclear
As the outlet notes, the Ukrainian leader did not specify on what data the figure of 9.5 million people is based or what measures the authorities intend to take to ensure citizens' return. The outlet also points out that the problem remains acute amid the protracted conflict: millions of Ukrainians continue to live outside the country, and the prospect of their return depends on security and living conditions at home.
Refugees' willingness to return
Earlier, Life.ru reported on a study by the German institute IFO, according to which only 47% of Ukrainian refugees are ready to return home even in the most favorable scenario. Under less optimistic conditions, only 3% of respondents consider such a possibility. Among the main factors influencing the decision, researchers named security guarantees and the territorial issue.
Context
Separately, Life.ru reports that Donald Trump stated his willingness to consider extending Ukrainians' right to stay in the US. This information is not directly related to Zelensky's statement, but it reflects the situation of Ukrainians abroad. Editorially, it can be noted: the figure cited by Zelensky and the IFO data on willingness to return are not yet directly comparable — the methodology behind the 9.5 million figure is not disclosed in the publication, while the IFO survey records a substantially lower willingness to return even under favorable conditions.
Why it matters
The scale of the stated task — returning 9.5 million people — affects both the refugees themselves and their host countries, including the US, where an extension of the right to stay is being discussed. The facts presented suggest that Kyiv's plans to bring citizens back may run into the refugees' own sentiments: according to IFO, the majority are not ready to return even in a favorable scenario. Neither the sources of Zelensky's figure nor the authorities' specific measures are known yet, so it is premature to speak of real changes for returnees.
