Expert warns: Ukrainian refugee housing crisis could weaken public support for Ukraine if public services for Danes are affected
Danish municipalities sound the alarm: The housing crisis for Ukrainian refugees is about to reach a breaking point.
According to TV2, Danish municipalities have warned that the situation has become extremely dangerous as the influx of Ukrainian refugees continues, coinciding with the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Tuesday, stressing that their capacity to provide housing has reached its limit.
The rising numbers are putting pressure on municipalities.
A survey conducted by the Danish Municipalities Association (KL), covering 82 municipalities, revealed that 59 percent are facing significant difficulties in finding sufficient housing for the continuing influx of Ukrainians, while only 7 percent reported no problems. During December 2025, 3,364 Ukrainian refugees were provided with accommodation within municipalities, bringing the total number of residents to over 44,000 by the end of the year—an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year, according to the same source.
Municipalities are on the verge of reaching a breaking point
In a statement to TV2, Steen Christiansen, chairman of the Labor Market and Citizen Services Committee at the Danish Municipalities Association (KL) and former mayor of Albertslund, confirmed that the situation is serious, noting that municipalities have sent clear signals that they have reached a breaking point, after having succeeded so far in finding solutions.
He explained that municipalities have used student dormitories, temporary buildings, monasteries, hotels and hostels to house refugees, stressing that all possible solutions have been exhausted, and calling for political action and new tools to address the crisis.
Direct demands of the government
The Danish Association of Municipalities (KL) called on the government to take three measures: make state buildings available for municipal use, improve financial conditions because municipalities bear a large part of the costs of temporary housing, and amend the rules regarding the length of stay in temporary housing to speed up the provision of housing for newcomers.
The government acknowledges the difficult situation.
Minister for Immigration and Integration Rasmus Stoklund acknowledged that municipalities are facing a difficult housing situation, stressing that the government is working on ways to support them and alleviate the burden, although finding solutions is not easy and has taken longer than expected. He expressed hope that a plan would be presented next week, without revealing any details.
Ukraine remains unsafe
Annika Sandlund, head of the UNHCR in the Nordic countries, confirmed that Denmark had provided “exceptional” support, noting that municipalities had made great efforts despite the pressures.
She stressed the need to continue accepting refugees, explaining that 2025 was the deadliest year for civilians since February 24, 2022, and that only four days in 2025 passed without missile attacks on Ukraine, while the harsh winter exacerbated the suffering of the population. She added that studies show that the longer the war lasts, the more Ukrainians want to remain in countries of asylum, according to TV2.
She noted that Ukraine’s amendment of its rules in late summer 2025 to allow men to leave led to a temporary increase in their numbers before they stabilized again, stressing that they do not currently constitute the largest group.
Fears of declining public support
Steen Christiansen warned that the housing crisis could affect other welfare sectors, even though 77 percent of Ukrainians in Denmark are working or studying. He argued that financial pressure could force municipalities to divert funds from other service areas, which could threaten public support for Ukraine if citizens feel a direct impact on local services.
He stressed that the need for action has become urgent, noting that any new solutions will need months before they have a tangible impact, according to the source.
