New Delhi:
Europe is witnessing waves of protests across several countries, including France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Albania, with the high cost of living, housing shortages and economic pressures emerging as common themes. While US President Donald Trump has linked the unrest in France to migration and Islam, Europe has mostly been dealing with the aftermath of one of the continent’s biggest refugee crises in modern history: the displacement caused by the Russia-Ukraine war.
Largest displacement crisis in Europe since World War II
By the end of 2025, there were 5.9 million Ukrainian refugees worldwide, with more than 5 million hosted across Europe, according to UNHCR.
“The war in Ukraine has been the fastest-growing and largest displacement crisis in Europe since World War II and has precipitated a regional refugee response of commensurate scale,” UNHCR said.
As the war entered its fourth year, Ukraine became the world’s second-largest source country for refugees after Venezuela.
Refugees and asylum seekers in Europe
In 2025, Ukrainians were the largest refugee and asylum-seeker population in Europe, ahead of Syrians and Afghans. The arrival of millions of Ukrainians since 2022 has placed additional pressure on housing, education, healthcare and social services across several European countries.
“The refugee crisis in Ukraine represents an unprecedented burden for Europe,” Habitat for Humanity said, noting that millions of displaced Ukrainians have faced challenges accessing housing, healthcare, education and social services.
Moreover, several Central and Eastern European countries were not major destinations for asylum seekers before the war and were forced to rapidly expand their capacity to accommodate large numbers of refugees.
Refugees from Ukraine into Europe
The war triggered an unprecedented surge in Ukrainian migration to Europe. Before the invasion, the number of Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers in European countries was relatively small, standing at around 30,000 in 2021. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the figure surged to more than 5.6 million.
“The historic mass outflow of people fleeing the unprovoked Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has placed significant pressures on the reception capacities of OECD and EU countries,” the OECD said, adding that access to housing remains among the most pressing challenges facing refugees.
Where did Ukrainians move within Europe?
While Ukrainians spread across the continent, Germany, Poland, Czechia, the United Kingdom and Spain emerged as the largest destinations. Together, these five countries hosted about three million Ukrainian refugees, accounting for roughly 61 per cent of the total hosted in Europe. Romania, Moldova, Slovakia, the Netherlands and Ireland were among the other major destinations.
As governments struggle to expand housing and public services, the war’s impact continues to be felt far beyond Ukraine’s borders.
