In Germany, around 700,000 Ukrainians who have received asylum have been receiving social assistance called Bürgergeld, with an average amount of €711 per person in 2024. According to the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, last year the total amount paid to Ukrainian refugees was approximately €6.3 billion, while Germany’s total spending on the Bürgergeld program reached €46.9 billion, which is €4.3 billion more than the previous year. In 2024, social support was provided to 5.5 million people, of which 2.6 million are foreigners. Payments for this category amounted to €22.2 billion.
This is reported by Finway
Plans to Reduce Assistance
The draft federal budget of Germany for 2026 includes a significant reduction in funding for the Bürgergeld program to €28.1 billion. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of Bavaria and head of the Christian Social Union, Markus Söder, has advocated for the cessation of Bürgergeld payments to all Ukrainian refugees, regardless of when they arrived in the country. He emphasized that no other country provides Ukrainians with such a level of social support, and thus
“so few Ukrainians are employed.”
Similar Trends in the Czech Republic
Similar sentiments are observed in the Czech Republic, where public fatigue regarding the presence of Ukrainian refugees is growing. According to a survey, 58% of Czechs believe that the country has accepted too many Ukrainians. Views on immigration are closely linked to economic difficulties: 40% of respondents stated that they “tolerate” the presence of Ukrainians but are tired of it. Additionally, 60% of citizens mistakenly believe that Ukrainians receive more financial assistance from the Czech government than they contribute to the country’s economy.
As of August 2025, approximately 373,700 Ukrainians are under temporary protection in the Czech Republic. In this regard, the Czech Republic ranks third in the EU after Germany and Poland, and in terms of the number of refugees per capita, the country leads the ranking with 34.3 refugees per 1,000 residents, significantly exceeding the EU average (9.5).