According to the latest monitoring wave conducted by the non‑governmental research organization, the Centre for Economic Strategy (CES), around 5.6 million Ukrainian citizens were living outside Ukraine at the end of 2025. UN estimates for early 2026 indicate approximately 5.9 million registered Ukrainian refugees, with nearly 90% residing in European countries. Germany and Poland have taken in the largest share, together providing refuge to more than
40% of all Ukrainian refugees on the continent, Humanitarian Media Hub reports.
CES data shows that 23% of Ukrainians abroad currently live in Germany, making it the number one host country by total population. A particularly large share consists of younger people: 28% of Ukrainians aged under 35 have chosen Germany as their place of residence. This points to a broader trend—Ukraine’s younger generation is integrating more actively into Western Europe’s labour markets and education systems.
Poland ranks second in terms of the number of Ukrainian refugees, hosting 19.5% of all Ukrainians abroad, or roughly 1 million people, according to UN figures. The country remains a key destination for middle‑aged Ukrainians: 24% of migrants aged 35–49 have settled specifically in Poland. Established Ukrainian communities and geographic proximity continue to strengthen Poland’s position as a major receiving country.
While Germany and Poland bear the largest share of refugee intake, significant numbers of Ukrainians also reside in the Czech Republic, Italy, Spain and Hungary, though these populations are noticeably smaller. Additionally, about 1.3 million Ukrainians are officially registered as refugees in Russia and Belarus.
Current trends show that despite a slowdown in outward movement in 2025, the overall number of Ukrainians remaining abroad continues to rise.
Switzerland criticises the behaviour of some Ukrainian refugees
