Poland adopted the most decisions for the return of Ukrainians among the countries in the NV selection for 2022–2026. At the same time, this data does not show how many people actually returned home and differs from the statistics of voluntary return of Ukrainians. NV writes about this.
Decisions on the return of Ukrainians: which countries lead in the statistics for 2022–2026
According to the data presented in the publication, 4210 decisions were made regarding Ukrainian citizens for their return. The highest figures among the mentioned countries are as follows:
- Poland: 2885;
- Czech Republic: 430;
- Sweden: 220;
- Switzerland: 155;
- Slovakia: 100.
Next are Norway with 90 decisions, Hungary with 85, Portugal with 45, Denmark with 40, and Lithuania with 35.
The Polish figure is approximately 6.7 times higher than the Czech one. However, absolute numbers do not allow determining the personal risk for a Ukrainian: to do this, one needs to consider the population of citizens in the country and the circumstances of each case.
The statistics do not only refer to refugees. Grounds for such decisions may include violations of entry or stay rules, expiration of documents, asylum refusals, or security threats. This is a different mechanism than payments for return, which involve separate programs.
Return from Europe: why a departure order does not mean a trip home in 2026
The key difference lies between the adopted decision and its execution. Therefore, the statement that Poland has already returned 2885 Ukrainians home is not confirmed by the provided figures.
Eurostat separately accounts for departure orders and actual returns. For example, in the second quarter of 2026, EU countries issued 110,335 such orders to citizens of states outside the EU, while actual returns to third countries were recorded at 36,825. These overall figures refer to all relevant citizens, not just Ukrainians.
Moreover, it is incorrect to compare them as a share of the orders executed specifically in this quarter without additional data: returns may have occurred based on decisions made earlier.
Therefore, the compiled selection shows Poland's leadership in the number of decisions, but does not prove a mass forced return of Ukrainian refugees. Similarly, the reduction in the number of protected Ukrainians in the country does not itself mean that all of them have left for Ukraine.