Austria open to new Ukrainian refugees amid rising tensions - Ambassador

He highlighted the Ukrainians' strong motivation to integrate, learn the language, and participate in economic life, making the refugee reception process manageable for Austria.

"The integration of Ukrainian refugees does not pose significant challenges as they actively seek to learn the language and willingly join the labor market," Benkö said.

"Of course, most of them—around 80%—are women with children, which makes the process somewhat more complex. However, Austria is a hospitable country, and I am confident that in the event of a new wave, Austrians will show their generosity and welcome Ukrainians with open hearts."

In June, the EU Council extended temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until March 4, 2026. Switzerland has also extended its special S protection status for Ukrainians until March 2026.

Germany is debating a review of Ukrainian refugees' status to reduce social costs and increase their participation in the labor market.

According to a survey by the Ifo institute, approximately 35% of Ukrainian refugees in Europe plan to return home in the long term perspective. However, this desire decreases over time: initially, about 60% wanted to return, but on average, this figure drops by 4.7% every 100 days.