interview
Anne-Marie Deutschlander is the top representative of the UN refugee agency UNHCR in Moldova. She reports on the difficult situation of Ukrainian women and children who have found protection in the desperately poor neighboring country.
December 25, 2025, 1:39 p.mDecember 25, 2025, 1:39 p.m
Interview: Christoph Bernet / ch media
Over three and a half years ago, Russia invaded Ukraine and forced countless people to flee – including to Moldova. What has changed since then?
Anne-Marie Deutschlander: At the beginning it was an acute humanitarian crisis in which shelter, medical care and basic services had to be set up very quickly. Although we are no longer in a classic emergency situation, it remains difficult to cover even basic needs. We try to finance the most necessary things with our needs-based cash assistance program. But the refugees have to make do with very little money. Now in winter, heating costs are a major burden.
Ukrainian refugees in a sports hall in Chisinau, capital of Moldova, in March 2022.Image: epa
Who are the refugees?
There are currently around 137,000 Ukrainian refugees living in Moldova, the majority of whom are women and minors. Most of the fathers, husbands and brothers were called up for military service. The women often have to look after several relatives. They include an above-average number of “those in particular need of protection”: children, older people and people with disabilities. Many of the refugees see little chance of returning and are trying to integrate. Caring for relatives makes it difficult for many women to work. In addition, the Romanian language is one of the biggest hurdles for the job market.
Will this integration succeed?
Fortunately, more refugees can now work and pay their own rent. Others stay with host families or in shared accommodation that we support. Many Ukrainian refugees have access to basic medical care thanks to their temporary protection status. Where this is not enough, we try to help out together with partners.
You are often out and about in the terrain yourself. Which moments are particularly close to you?
There are many. I remember, for example, visiting a Ukrainian woman who was caring for her two elderly parents who were in need of care. She greeted us in perfect English. She had worked on cruise ships before the war and was well educated. Today she lives with her parents in a one-room apartment, can hardly leave the house and has given up her entire previous life. Such encounters show how abruptly a life can change – something we can hardly imagine.
The USA has massively reduced its contributions to the UNHCR. How does this affect your work in Moldova?
The cuts have hit us very hard. We have had to cut staff, reduce programs, downsize partnerships and discontinue activities. Every decision was a choice between “urgent” and “more urgent.”
Anne-Marie Deutschlander, UNHCR representative in Moldova.Image: UNHCR
What criteria do you use to decide?
We consistently focus on life-saving and protective measures for the most vulnerable people. The reduction in cash aid was particularly painful – both in terms of the monthly amounts and the eligibility criteria. The question of who is considered “vulnerable enough” among those who are already particularly in need of protection can hardly be answered. Moldova is an economically challenged country. Therefore, in all our measures we pay attention to social cohesion and to ensure that Moldovans in need also benefit.
Has the solidarity of the Moldovan population towards Ukrainian refugees decreased over time?
Surprisingly not. The population continues to show great willingness to help. Many say: “Ukrainians are our brothers and sisters.” The refugees sense this and are grateful.
Several Western European countries have tightened conditions for Ukrainian refugees. In Switzerland they are no longer automatically granted protection status S. Certain western Ukrainian regions have even been classified as “safe areas of origin”.
In Europe we are observing a certain fatigue of solidarity. However, I would exercise great caution when classifying regions as “safe”. The situation in Ukraine remains unpredictable. Return decisions should therefore be examined very carefully and individually. If Switzerland had been attacked and we had fled a war, who would want to return to a country where there was still war and no security?
Switzerland provided exceptional support to Moldova. (symbol image)Image: keystone
Parliament has cut Switzerland’s contribution to multilateral organizations by 30 million francs in the 2026 budget. What does that mean for your work?
Switzerland has so far been an extremely reliable and committed partner for Moldova. We very much hope that at least the current support services can be continued. Every franc that arrives here has had a noticeable impact – we were recently able to demonstrate this to a federal delegation directly on site.
What would you like Switzerland to do in dealing with Ukrainian refugees?
All Ukrainians I meet in Moldova who can work do so and thereby contribute to society. I don’t get the impression that they’re looking for comfortable support. In general, it is very easy to make judgments if you are not a refugee in this situation yourself. This is difficult for us to imagine. But even for the Ukrainians four years ago it was hard to imagine that they would one day be in this situation. All of these people had jobs and a standard of living that largely corresponded to ours. And then that changes from one day to the next. Nobody wants to become a refugee. We should be aware of that. (aargauerzeitung.ch)