Attachments
By Maria Koinova
The more than 20 million people currently estimated to comprise the Ukrainian diaspora worldwide have played a significant but often underappreciated role supporting Ukraine since Russia's invasion. Engagement by the diaspora—including both migrants and their descendants—has evolved over time, reaching a turning point with Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and entering a new phase following the 2022 full-scale invasion. Over the last two and a half years, diaspora members have helped fundraise and support projects in Ukraine, bolster its international image, and counter Russian narratives.
Increasingly, Ukrainian leaders in Kyiv have recognized this effort and sought to foster the diaspora's support, such as through a 2024 proposal to allow dual citizenship. "Today, the unity of Ukrainians spans both hemispheres of the Earth," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in January. "Our millions-strong diaspora [forms] our lobbyists for Ukraine's interests around the world… who collect, find, pack, and deliver everything needed for the victory… who have not forgotten their roots and do not let the world forget about Ukraine."
Because many diaspora networks had been built up in the years since the annexation of Crimea, they were able to swiftly mobilize after the full-scale war began. Although the money sent by individuals as formal remittances has declined since 2021, support has increased in other ways, such as through social enterprises designed to connect Ukrainian communities with the world and prepare for the post-war recovery. Moreover, the flight of an estimated 6.7 million Ukrainians since the invasion has significantly expanded the diaspora's size and prompted new questions about its future.
Details of the Ukraine situation are unique, however other diasporas are often involved in conflict and post-conflict dynamics, even if their activities are frequently overlooked. Mapping these communities is challenging, as they include both recent migrants and multigenerational populations integrated into foreign societies. When conflicts erupt, diasporas often engage by sending humanitarian relief, raising funds, and transferring remittances, oftentimes in support of one faction or another. They can also act as peacebuilders and play crucial roles in post-conflict reconstruction.
This article provides an overview of the Ukrainian diaspora's engagement with the homeland before and after Russia’s 2022 invasion. Based in part on the author’s research in the United Kingdom and several EU Member States, it identifies key historical contributions, the diaspora's evolving role since 2022, and opportunities for further engagement for Ukraine’s recovery. Although the diaspora includes a significant number of people in Russia—perhaps as many as 10 million, although exact figures are debated—this discussion focuses on the diaspora in the West, particularly in Europe, where a liberal political environment fosters free expression and cross-border mobilization. The Western diaspora has significant populations in Central Europe (including Czechia, Germany, Poland, and Slovakia) as well as in Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom, among other countries in Europe, North America (Canada and the United States), and South America. This diaspora possesses the expertise, networks, and willingness to support Ukraine.