Klimkin says about 20 million Ukrainians are now living abroad / REUTERS
Ukraine's Foreign Minister says that "a global Ukrainian community" should be formed in the world.
Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin says that half of Ukrainians will reside abroad in several years.
"We had a home country and the diaspora ... What is happening now when millions of Ukrainians are constantly or temporarily residing abroad – I believe that in a few years – again, if you want you can blame me, the situation will be the following: half of Ukrainians will be here, and half of Ukrainians will live abroad," Klimkin said during a Veteran Public Talk session at the Veteran Hub, a platform for cooperation of veterans' NGOs.
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According to him, about 20 million Ukrainians are now living abroad.
"And how many [Ukrainians] are now in Ukraine? There will be a census soon. When you see the results of the census, you all will be wide-eyed. There will be real, honest results of the census."
"Therefore I believe we should not split Ukrainians into those who are here and who are abroad. I think that the world should have a global Ukrainian community."
(The quoted speech is after 39:00)