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The Export of the Future: How Ukraine Gifted the World $400 Billion and Why Energy Nation Says "Enough"


We often speak about the loss of territories, but we rarely notice Ukraine's most expensive export, one for which we have received neither payment nor gratitude. This is the export of our human capital.


Imagine Ukraine losing two entire years of its GDP simultaneously. Not through the destruction of factories or infrastructure, but quietly, across borders, in the backpacks and suitcases of our children. While the world debates weapon shipments and loans, we are losing our most precious asset.


Because raising a child is the most expensive investment project in the life of a family and a state. We at the Energy Nation movement have analyzed the figures that usually stay hidden from official reports, and the reality is staggering: we have handed other countries an investment we spent 18 years preparing.


The Cost of Coming of Age: How Much Do We Invest in One Child?

Many view raising a child as a private family matter. However, from an economic perspective, it is a massive investment project involving both parents and the state (via taxes, healthcare, schools, and infrastructure).


Based on our estimates, raising a child to the age of 18 in Ukraine costs:

  • National Average: At least $100,000.

  • Major Cities (Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro): Upwards of $200,000 (factoring in supplemental education, extracurriculars, and quality healthcare).

The average figure we use is $150,000. This is the total sum society "invests" in an individual before they even begin to create value added (GDP).


A Disaster in Numbers: 2.6 Million Lost Hopes

According to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, since the start of the full-scale invasion, more than 2.6 million young Ukrainians (under the age of 35) have left the country.

If we multiply this number by the average investment of $150,000, we reach a haunting figure: $390 billion. Effectively, we have transferred a ready-made, educated, and capable workforce, funded by decades of our own resources—to European and global economies for free.


The "Empty Wallet" Syndrome: What We Lose Daily

Economy is, first and foremost, about consumption. When our youth work at home, they rent apartments, buy groceries, and invest in local services.

  • Lost Consumption: With an average salary of approximately 30,000 UAH (per Minfin data), these 2.6 million people could have generated a demand of over 1 trillion UAH per year ($23–25 billion).

  • The Tax Vacuum: These are billions in VAT and income tax that never reach the budget to support our military and social needs.


Global Lessons: How to Bring Our People Home

Ukraine is not the first to face this crisis, but we must be the first to find a solution at this scale.

  • Ireland (1980s): Faced with massive youth emigration, they didn't just ask people to "come home", they slashed taxes for tech businesses. The result was the "Celtic Tiger."

  • Poland: Launched the Powroty (Returns) program and scrapped income tax (PIT) for workers under 26, making it financially rewarding to work at home.

  • Israel: Bet on "technological patriotism," creating the perfect ecosystem for veteran-led startups.


The Energy Nation Vision

At Energy Nation, we are convinced: a human being is not just a "resource"—they are Energy. Today, that energy is powering other nations, but it must be put to work for Ukraine.


We are the platform for the return of Ukrainian energy.

  1. People are the state's energy. Without them, factories are just cold metal.

  2. We demand incentives: Tax breaks for youth, business grants, and security.

  3. Return is profitable. It is the best deal Ukraine can ever make.


Why Energy Nation?

This is not "just another initiative." It is a movement driven by economic logic:

  • Restore Power and Control: We don't just "ask the world for help"; we offer the world a model. Ukraine is a platform for talent, energy, and reconstruction.

  • Turn the Diaspora into an Asset: Even while abroad, Ukrainians can remain customers of Ukrainian services, investors, and ambassadors.

  • Build "Bridges of Return": Jobs, education, housing, and simple rules. We need a framework that answers the question: "Why should I come back?"


The ultimate truth: We haven't just lost people; we’ve lost the megawatts of our future. If we want an economic miracle, our greatest power plant is the human capital we must bring home.

It’s time to bring the Energy back home.


Sources:


The future doesn’t just happen, it is created. Join the community of the Creators of the Ukrainian Economic Miracle. All the energy for change is here: www.ukraineeconomy.com/join

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