STRATEGIES FOR RESTORING UKRAINE’S DEMOGRAPHIC POTENTIAL IN THE POST-WAR PERIOD

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the challenges and prospects for restoring Ukraine’s demographic potential in the context of post-war transformation. It emphasizes that the demographic crisis, which began long before the full-scale invasion, reached the level of a systemic threat to national security by 2022. A sharp decline in population due to migration, decreasing birth rates, the loss of the working-age population, increased mortality among vulnerable groups, and population aging has created complex obstacles to economic growth and the sustainability of the social welfare system. The demographic situation in Ukraine is marked not only by quantitative losses but also by structural transformations, including regional imbalances, a distorted age pyramid, feminization of migration, and a shrinking share of young people in the population structure.

The paper systematizes current approaches to developing demographic recovery policy, reviews the recommendations of national and international experts, and analyzes strategic documents, including the Demographic Development Strategy of Ukraine until 2040. Five priority areas are identified: increasing birth rates through long-term parental support programs, affordable housing, and accessible social services; creating conditions for the return and reintegration of Ukrainian migrants; reforming the healthcare system to reduce premature mortality and increase life expectancy; expanding education, employment, and elderly adaptation programs; and addressing regional disparities through targeted support of war-affected areas.

The study underscores the need to strengthen interagency coordination, modernize the demographic statistics system, ensure financing mechanisms for implementation, and introduce innovative approaches to human capital management.