Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has displaced millions and caused tremendous hardship and dislocation. But Ukrainians have pushed to strengthen their national identity while under threat from Moscow and make their country better even during war. Some businesses have managed to attract investment when others said it was impossible; Ukraine’s civil society has pushed through real reforms to curb corruption; Ukrainian cooks astonish world audiences with their clever new riffs on old recipes; and writers and literary figures have moved from the novel to the newspaper to capture societal changes.
What have Ukrainians been doing to maintain their national identity and a semblance of everyday life during the war? What stories of everyday heroism and ingenuity inspire a nation during this time of crisis?
Melinda Haring, deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, moderates a panel discussion with Yuriy Fylyuk, chief executive officer of Promprylad.Renovation, Yevhen Hlibovytsky, partner at Ukrainian consulting firm Pro.mova, acclaimed Ukrainian author Andrei Kurkov, and Mykhailo Zhernakov, co-founder of DEJURE Foundation.
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issue spotlight
Europe in crisis
War in Ukraine
In February 2022, Moscow launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine after a months-long military build-up, threatening the country’s sovereignty and its future. This existential moment for the country follows the 2014 Maidan revolution, a nexus for Ukraine’s Europe-focused foreign policy and reform efforts. The ensuing Russian invasion and occupation of Crimea, aggression in Ukraine’s east, and Kremlin disinformation efforts, cast a shadow over Ukraine’s independence.
The Eurasia Center’s mission is to promote policies that strengthen stability, democratic values, and prosperity in Eurasia, from Eastern Europe in the West to the Caucasus, Russia, and Central Asia in the East.