Europe’s generosity to Ukrainian refugees is not so welcome—in Ukraine

It takes two buses, a sturdy bottom and 43 hours to travel from downtown Brussels to Uman, a city right in the centre of Ukraine. Can’t afford the €90 ($97) fare? No matter: the Belgian authorities will pay the fare for any Ukrainians up for the trip, and throw in €50 pocket money to make the journey more palatable. Better yet, anyone who later changes their mind about having returned to their oblast even has the right to come back to Belgium, should they fancy another two-day bus ride. But the most compelling argument for those who had once fled war to voluntarily return is the call from home to fulfil their patriotic duty. Ukraine needs soldiers and workers, consumers and taxpayers. Its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, thinks too many of them may be lingering overseas. “Ukrainians are stronger together, so it is time to be together!” he said recently.