Caring Across Time and Borders: Ukrainian Returnees' Journeys Towards Ageing and Belonging

The migration of Ukrainian women to Italy over the last three decades has been portrayed in diverse ways, with many narratives emphasising their vital economic and social contributions both in Italy and back home, whilst others cast these women, many of them mothers, as threats to Ukrainian families and the nation. However, as these migrants return to Ukraine in retirement, they renegotiate their sense of belonging to a new life and a changed place. Through three autobiographical interviews, our study explores how these women have mothered across borders, navigated care responsibilities and dealt with disenfranchised grief. The paper contributes to understanding the relationship between care and belonging, showing how returned migrants engage in acts of care and community integration, confronting challenges of grief and ambiguous belonging. Strong bonds formed with Italian families—and maintained across borders—now influence feelings of belonging back in the home country. These findings highlight the effects of transnational care-giving on migrants' sense of place, suggesting that the quality-of-care relationships can add a nuance to understanding where people belong and, ultimately, influence return or non-return decisions.