Over a million Ukrainians hiding from the war found refuge in Poland. There they received unprecedented support from the local authorities and population, and paid back in their own coin. Experts call "phenomenal" and "unbelievable" the Ukrainian ability settle down in a new place and immediately get down to work. "Mostly women with children have left, but mainly of the middle class, they are young, ambitious, many of them had their own businesses," says Olga Pyshchulina, a social and gender expert from Razumkov Centre.
"Children went to school, they are adapting, changing their identity, entering universities and will not return to Ukraine in the near future," she adds.
Most Ukrainians declare that they will return to Ukraine as soon as the war is over and the danger disappears. The share of those who want to stay in Poland forever, according to scholars, makes about 25% of those who left.
But in the long run, if the war goes on and even more Ukrainians want to stay there permanently, such a number of young people and children will already have serious consequences for the demographic situation in Poland, with its ageing population and outflow of young people to wealthier European countries.
"Even in the short term, ambitious young people who stay there will definitely give a boost to the Polish economy," adds Pyschulina.
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