Ukraine is losing the information war to Russia, says Ella Libanova, head of the Ptukha Institute for Demography and Social Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
During the panel discussion "2024: Scenarios for the Country" as part of the LB.ua and EFI Group's New Country project, she stressed that people need to be explained what is happening: what problems exist, how they can develop into challenges, threats and risks. In particular, Ukrainians need to be explained the demographic situation.
"We have to say that yes, there will be depopulation in Ukraine. Yes, there will not be 40 million of us, and even less will there be 52, as there were on 1 January 92. Let's forget about it. We can reach a population of 40 million, but only through strong immigration," the professor said.
In addition, all 6 million Ukrainians who have left (and 9 million if we take into account labour migrants who left before the war) will not return to Ukraine.
"My dream is for half of them to return. If half of them return, it will be great," the professor explained.
Libanova said that after the wars in the Balkans, a third of those who left returned to their countries.
"If we have half, it will be great. If we think that European countries will start massively displacing Ukrainians, they will not. They are very interested in such human resources. According to both German and Polish researchers, 70% of women who have left have higher education," she said.
Libanova emphasised that every day of the war is working to ensure that fewer Ukrainians return.
"Can we expect a baby boom after the war? No, we cannot," emphasised the head of the Ptukha Institute for Demography and Social Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.