Ukrainian refugees were urged to leave their rented accommodation: ‘they could not settle down’

The situation of Ukrainian refugees in Europe is gradually becoming more difficult, and this is especially evident in France, where refugees are beginning to lose their temporary homes for various reasons. In the Grand Est region of eastern France, Ukrainians who fled the war have begun receiving letters from government agencies demanding that they vacate their rented accommodation by the end of the month. The official reason given for such orders was that they had allegedly failed to integrate sufficiently into local society. This news has caused considerable outrage and misunderstanding among the refugees, as for many of them France has become the only safe haven in this difficult time.

The situation in the Grand Est region

Ukrainian refugees who have been granted asylum in the Grand Est region are now facing a new challenge – the requirement to vacate the accommodation they have received with the support of the state and local charitable associations. Dozens of people who fled the war in Ukraine have received letters urging them to leave their homes by the end of October. In particular, the letters stated that the reason for the eviction was allegedly insufficient adaptation to French society and inactive participation in the integration process.

This requirement has put many refugees in a difficult situation, as many of them have not yet been able to fully adapt and integrate due to the language barrier, difficulties with employment and the need to adapt to new living conditions.

An example of the situation of refugees

One of those who received such a message was 41-year-old Olesia Bolkhunovska, who, together with her 63-year-old mother and 11-year-old son, arrived in France from Kharkiv at the beginning of the full-scale war. She received a letter asking her to leave her apartment in Tignesville, which they had been given with the help of a local charity. This message came as a real shock to Olesya, as she had already managed to partially master the French language and dreamed of integrating into local society. She recalls that at the beginning of the war, she did not make much effort to adapt, as she hoped for a quick end to the conflict and the opportunity to return to Ukraine. However, the situation has not improved and Kharkiv, her hometown, remains under constant threat of shelling, making it impossible to return home at the moment.

Olesya told us about her journey to Tionville:

“Volunteers took us from the Polish border to Luxembourg, and from there we went to Tignesville, where I had a friend. At first, I didn’t try too hard to integrate, because I didn’t believe that the war would last long. However, now, as the conflict continues and the situation in Kharkiv becomes more and more dangerous, I realise that I made a mistake by underestimating the need to adapt to a new life in France.”

A growing problem for Ukrainian refugees in France

Since the end of September, dozens of Ukrainians living in the Grand Est and renting apartments through associations have received similar demands. The official notices call on refugees to find alternative accommodation or resolve the issue of re-accommodation in cooperation with the organisations that supported them. Some letters also explain the reason for this decision: the state authorities state that Ukrainian refugees have allegedly failed to take all the necessary steps to integrate professionally and achieve social autonomy. Many of them have not even started working in a new profession, have not mastered the language to the required level or have not joined a general integration programme in the region. Thus, they require more adaptation efforts to stay in France. Some will be offered temporary accommodation if it is available, but many will have to find alternative options on their own.

Legal aspects: temporary status of Ukrainian refugees in the EU

Ukrainian refugees have a special status in the European Union, receiving temporary protection that gives them the right to reside and certain social guarantees. In France, their accommodation is based on a system of rental intermediation through state subsidies, which allowed them to rent apartments for a certain period of time. However, the prefecture of the Meurthe-Moselle department explained that this support is temporary, and the state is not obliged to provide refugees with permanent housing.

The state authorities stressed that refugees have the obligation to look for options for permanent residence and strive for social integration on their own, as state resources are limited and are aimed at temporary assistance during an emergency.

Tensions with refugee accommodation in other European countries

Problems with the accommodation of Ukrainians are observed not only in France, but also in many other European countries. For example, Germany is also experiencing significant tension due to the high number of refugees. In particular, the mayor of Bad Grisbach in Bavaria said that the region’s social services are overloaded and can no longer accept new refugees from Ukraine.

He also expressed his indignation at the uneven distribution of refugees between cities and regions, which in many places has put an excessive strain on social infrastructure. Local authorities argue that the overload of social services leads to a decrease in the quality of service and creates risks for the basic needs of citizens in need of support.

Thus, the situation of Ukrainian refugees in Europe is becoming more complicated, and many of them are facing new challenges. France, which has provided temporary asylum to thousands of Ukrainians, is now facing problems in providing them with housing on a permanent basis. A similar problem is growing in other European countries, where local authorities are expressing concern about the overload of social services.

As a result, many Ukrainians are forced to look for new opportunities to secure their housing and social support on their own, as state resources are limited. They now face the challenge of not only finding a new home, but also actively integrating into society, which requires considerable effort and adaptation to the new living conditions in the EU.