75% of Ukrainian war refugees are willing to return to their country of origin when it is safe to do so, while around 17% are still undecided. The main challenges remain financial stability (25%), language barriers (21%), long-term renting (19%) and getting a job (19%). This is according to the Needs and Intentions of Ukrainian War Refugees (NIM) survey conducted by the International Organisation for Migration Vilnius Office (IOM Lithuania) in 2023.

 "As soon as the war in Ukraine started, we received the first calls asking for help. The main question was whether we could provide accommodation, as people are forced to flee their country and have no plan. Two years have passed since that day. What has changed in 24 months? Providing basic needs is being replaced by the challenges of integration in Lithuania. We now hear more and more about Lithuanian language courses, which means that people have chosen to build a life in Lithuania until their country is safe. However, the vast majority of Ukrainians plan to return to Ukraine as soon as possible", says Eitvydas Bingelis, Head of IOM Lithuania. In the first months of their arrival, Ukrainians said that their main needs were financial support and medical services, and after the first year they started to emphasize finding a job and taking Lithuanian language courses. IOM Lithuania therefore offered free Lithuanian language courses, which have already been attended by 400 Ukrainians.

Demand for medicines (19%), personal care products (16%) and clothing (14%) remains important. In response to these needs, IOM Lithuania distributed almost 2000 pharmacy cards, 160 families received vouchers worth €150 to buy various items for resettlement, and in the first year the organisation provided €330,000 to cover basic needs, benefiting more than 3000 Ukrainians. In recent months, IOM Lithuania has also contributed funds to cover the rent and several hundred Ukrainian families have benefited from this assistance. In two years, IOM Lithuania has provided assistance to more than 16 000 Ukrainians. 

"When it comes to the integration of Ukrainians and the resulting challenges, we can see that in other Baltic countries, where research is also carried out, the challenges faced are not substantially different. In Lithuania and Latvia, financial stability is the top priority, while in Estonia the language barrier is the top priority, with 25%, 38% and 42% respectively, while in neighbouring countries Ukrainians also face the challenges of long-term renting (17% in Latvia; 21% in Estonia) and employment (31% in Latvia; 33% in Estonia)," says Bingelis. 

The forms of assistance were broadly similar in the Baltic countries. Respondents indicated that the most common forms of support were food: 89% in Lithuania; 85% in Latvia; 76% in Estonia; and a larger majority of respondents indicated that they had benefited from free transport and financial support.

In order to facilitate the integration of Ukrainians in Lithuania, the Migration Information Centre "MICenter" was opened in autumn last year, where various activities for Ukrainians take place. It offers a range of counselling, from psychological to legal, as well as courses and other soft measures to help Ukrainians integrate into Lithuanian society. "MICenter is a place where all Ukrainians are welcome, because here we can provide them not only with the information they need, but also with assistance. It is understandable that not only coming to Lithuania, but also adapting to our country has been easier for some and more difficult for others. There are also those who need complex assistance. That is why we are constantly improving our services and focusing on the most vulnerable groups," says the Head of IOM Lithuania.

The DTM survey was conducted 4 times in the Baltic States in 2023 and the results are summarised below. The DTM survey is designed to examine the behaviour and needs of people who have moved to another country. It is mainly related to humanitarian aspects: health care, food and water needs, sense of security. This method allows for a quicker response to the situation and to ensure adequate living conditions for people who have left their country.

In the two years since the start of the war in Ukraine, almost 84 000 Ukrainians have arrived in Lithuania.