Analysis-Europe struggles to convert Ukraine migration into labour boon

FILE PHOTO: Maria, a refugee from Mykolaiv in Ukraine, decorates gingerbread Oktoberfest hearts at the 'Zuckersucht' bakery in Aschheim near Munich, Germany, May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Lukas Barth/File Photo

BERLIN/WARSAW (Reuters) - European countries have not fully seized on the opportunity to plug workforce gaps presented by the arrival of millions of Ukrainian refugees, even though many of those fleeing the war are highly educated or have desperately needed skills.

The flood of people over the border following Russia's February 2022 invasion should have been a boon for countries in the European Union's east, where acute labour shortages have long dragged on economic growth and fuelled inflation.