FROM TEMPORARY PROTECTION TO MANAGED RETURN: CIRCULAR MIGRATION AS AN INSTRUMENT OF REINTEGRATION IN POST-CONFLICT UKRAINE
Keywords:
circular migration, temporary protection, managed return, post-conflict recovery, reintegration.
Abstract
The full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine has triggered an unprecedented wave of forced external migration, placing the state before the complex task of organizing the return of its citizens in the post-conflict period amid declining readiness for one-time repatriation and high uncertainty regarding migration inten- tions. The article aims to analyze the potential of circular migration as an instrument of managed, phased reintegration of Ukrainian citizens in post-conflict conditions based on a comparative study of international experience. Methodologically, the study is grounded in a theoretical analysis of the concept of circular migration and a comparative examination of three cases – Poland, Moldova, and Georgia – taking into account their institutional approaches to managing mobility and reintegration. The research demonstrates that circular migration can be effective primarily under appropriate institutional conditions, including voluntary participation, protection of migrants’ rights, the possibility of repeated legal movements, and the preservation of social rights when crossing borders. The analysis of the Polish experience reveals risks of transforming established circular patterns into long-term emigration under wartime conditions; the Moldovan case illustrates the possibilities of economic reintegration through institutionalized entrepreneurship support programs for returnees, while also exposing dependence on remittances; the Georgian experience highlights the potential of knowledge circulation and diaspora engagement but also shows limitations due to the lack of operational mechanisms for financial support. The findings suggest that for Ukraine, circular migration may be relevant not as an alternative to return but as an intermediate strategy that combines the preservation of mobility with gradual reintegration, provided that migration mechanisms are aligned with broader strategies of post-war recovery, human capital development, and the cre- ation of economic opportunities.
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gration: a triple win or a dead end? (Discussion Paper ; No. 15). Geneva : ILO Global Union Research Network, 2011. URL: https://emnbelgium.be/sites/default/files/publications/ilo_-_circularmigration_-_discussionpaper_-_2011_-_en.pdf (дата звернення: 28.12.2025) ]
Published
2026-05-29
How to Cite
Koshova, O. S. (2026). FROM TEMPORARY PROTECTION TO MANAGED RETURN: CIRCULAR MIGRATION AS AN INSTRUMENT OF REINTEGRATION IN POST-CONFLICT UKRAINE. International and Political Studies, (41), 186-198. https://doi.org/10.32782/2707-5206.2026.41.16
Section
THEORY AND HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT AND PROBLEMS OF POLITICAL DISCOURSE
