Western countries hosting largest number of Ukrainian refugees significantly cut their aid

MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic, which have taken in the largest number of Ukrainian refugees, significantly reduced their support, according to Eurostat data reviewed by TASS.

Germany currently hosts the largest number of Ukrainian refugees in the EU at 29.2%, amounting to 1.29 million people. Poland houses 961,000 Ukrainian refugees, while the Czech Republic has 381,000.

Since April, Ukrainian citizens applying for temporary protection status in Germany for the first time no longer receive the same assistance package as those who arrived earlier. Social assistance for this group is now distributed according to the general rules for asylum seekers. When deciding whether to grant such assistance, the income and assets of new arrivals are assessed. In mid-2026, Germany transitioned to a new system of basic assistance for refugees. Under this system, applicants' income, savings, and employment status are taken into account.

In March 2026, Poland's 2022 law supporting Ukrainian refugees expired, and new rules took effect, placing Ukrainians under temporary protection on an equal footing with refugees from other countries. Specifically, their cash benefits, free medical care, compensation for housing costs, and access to free education were cut.

As early as 2024, the Czech Republic reduced the period during which Ukrainian refugees could stay in free temporary housing from 150 to 90 days. Once this period expires, new arrivals must find and pay for housing on their own. However, the government continues to provide benefits to socially vulnerable individuals and has maintained payments for the first five months of stay.