Four years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, an increasing share of refugees are choosing to stay in their host country.
A recent survey carried out by researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the ROCKWOOL Foundation in Denmark, and now released as RFBerlin Research Insight 05/26, shows that 76 % of Ukrainian respondents want to remain in Denmark even though the war no longer poses a danger to their hometowns-a marked rise from the 69 % reported a year earlier.
Mette Foged, a researcher at the ROCKWOOL Foundation and professor at the University of Copenhagen, notes that “the longer the war lasts, the more refugees want to stay”. She points out that only 50 % of refugees expressed a desire to remain in Denmark in 2023, a trend that could have implications for other countries hosting Ukrainian asylum seekers.
In the latest poll, an additional 21 % said they would stay as long as their home city remains unsafe, and only 3 % now intend to return home. “Fewer people see a future in Ukraine at the moment” Foged added.
The wish to stay is strongest among the 18‑ to 49‑year‑old cohort, where roughly 80 % would like to remain. Interest drops in older age groups, with only 52 % of those over 60 wishing to stay in Denmark.
Among those who want to stay, 77 % expressed fear of being forced back to Ukraine. They describe this risk as ranging from severe to relatively minor. Ukrainian residents in Denmark presently hold only temporary residency status.
Data were collected through a questionnaire administered to adult Ukrainians (18 +) who arrived in Denmark between February 2022, when large‑scale invasion began, and July 2024. The survey was conducted from October 2025 to January 2026.
