Statement 

by Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine 

H.E. Mr. Denys Uliutin at Round Table 4 of

the second International Migration Review Forum

(6 May 2026)

 

 

Chair, distinguished colleagues,

One of the main lessons from Ukraine’s experience under war is that migration governance is only as strong as the data and systems behind it.

When millions of people move in a short period of time — across regions and across borders — decisions have to be made quickly: who needs support, where people are located, what services are required, and how to plan for return.

Without reliable and connected data, this becomes guesswork. Ukraine had to build this capacity in real time.

We now rely on digital, registry-based systems where people submit electronic applications, information is automatically verified across state databases, and decisions are made based on administrative data.

These systems are linked to payment infrastructure, allowing us to deliver support quickly and at scale.

We are now extending this approach to humanitarian assistance — working with partners to use national registries and payment systems for targeting and delivery. This reduces duplication, improves accuracy and creates a bridge between emergency support and long-term social protection.

At the same time, we face a structural limitation: data stops at the border.

For millions of Ukrainians abroad, we do not have systematic visibility of their status, employment situation, access to services or intentions regarding return. This makes it harder to design effective policies — both for host countries and for Ukraine.

This is why the next step in migration governance should be stronger international cooperation on data.

We need more practical frameworks for information exchange between countries — on identity verification, legal status, contribution records and basic socio-economic indicators — in a way that is secure, lawful and respects privacy.

This is not only a technical issue. It directly affects policy outcomes.

Without data exchange:

– portability of social protection cannot function effectively;

– labour market integration is less efficient;

– return planning becomes uncertain;

– and people risk falling between systems.

Ukraine is ready to contribute to this work. We are building digital systems and improving registries even during the war.

But no country can solve this alone.

If we want policies that work in practice, we need systems that speak to each other.

Thank you.