A tough test for Ukraine
The question of the return of Ukrainians, which we repeat in the information space, must be revised.
When we say this, we assume that our way of life before February 24, 2022, may return, but this will not happen.
I would put it differently: Can we offer such a system of state institutions, build such an economy, and create such programs within the country that will make Ukraine an excellent base for the globalization of talent and give people who live here non-local opportunities? Because then not only Ukrainians will want to come here, but also citizens of developed countries, for whom lower competition than at home can outweigh the need to adapt to a new culture.
If we characterize the path of Ukraine from 1991 to the present, we have been constantly moving in the right direction. Even bad experiences were helpful because they strengthened the state's immunity. Now, we have two extremely difficult tasks. The first is to win the war. Moreover, we must have victory on Ukrainian terms, which in many ways does not suit the West, which is afraid of the de-imperialization of Russia. The second task is to build a new, high-quality system of state institutions within Ukraine, which will be extremely difficult.
By modernizing its institutions, Ukraine has a chance to get the kind of economic growth that will allow us to jump the middle-income trap, where a country reaches a certain level and stagnates in development. We must go further and become a member of the club of developed countries where human capital, creativity, and, most importantly, freedom matter.
The day the war ends will not be such an instantaneous point of return
People will make decisions based on their own circumstances, for example, how many years their children have left before they finish school. Or, based on when they believe there will be a critical concentration of certainty, i.e., what is happening in Ukraine not only in the economic, social, and political spheres but in a host of other essential aspects. For example, how the healthcare reform will work, what decentralization will look like in the country, or whether high-quality services will be available in small towns.
The day the war ends will not be such an instantaneous point of return. People have gone through a terrible transaction cost of leaving, and the way back is another transaction cost. It will involve again having to break the social ties that they have managed to establish for themselves, a break in economic relations, statuses, language, and place in the local labor market.
The issue here is not only that a group of fellow citizens needs to be returned, but rather that we live with a large Ukrainian diaspora worldwide. We need to learn how to properly integrate it into the life of Ukraine and help Ukrainians, wherever they are, become part of the global Ukrainian process. We have not been able to do this effectively with the North American diaspora, which was largely formed by people who left during World War II, but now we have a chance.
This also includes those Ukrainians who are part of international labor markets, i.e., those who left not because of the war but because of the growth of their international careers.
These people are competently different from Ukrainians inside the country. It's not even about their foreign education, but about their entirely different experiences: soft skills, their ability to cooperate with other cultures, and the understanding that there is more than one way to solve a problem. This is very valuable for us.
At the same time, they are still Ukrainians by culture, so it is easier for us to integrate them. These people can take some critical tools from the countries where they live now and bring them to Ukrainian culture.
As a result, we will get a potent mix of proposals within Ukraine, making us exciting and capable.
We also need these Ukrainians to support Ukraine as established citizens of other countries. This will help keep relations with Ukraine a priority.
Demography, or rather migration, is a rigorous test of our capacity. If something does not work in the country, people leave. Today, the world is so open, so people can choose what they like.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
