Europe Must Be Brave: Otherwise, This War Will Not Be Contained Within the Territory of Ukraine

This study is part of a broader project aimed at assessing the level of social cohesion in Ukraine. Accordingly, the list of social groups selected for analysis was determined in advance. The research focuses on five groups: people with disabilities, veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war, internally displaced persons, Ukrainians living abroad, and Russian-speaking citizens of Ukraine. This part of the project seeks to examine the extent to which these groups are represented in the information space, the contexts in which they are mentioned, and the perceptions that form around them.

This report presents the results of a qualitative study by the Civil Network OPORA, dedicated to strengthening social cohesion and involving five potentially vulnerable groups of Ukrainian society in public life: Ukrainians abroad, internally displaced persons, veterans and their families, people with disabilities, and Russian-speaking citizens of Ukraine.

The full-scale Russian invasion caused a powerful surge of mechanical solidarity among Ukrainians. However, such a crisis-driven unity might be short-lived. Civil Network OPORA conducted a nationwide study on the social cohesion of Ukrainians and prepared quantitative and qualitative reports, as well as an analysis of how cohesion is reflected in social networks.

In this research, OPORA defines the concept of social cohesion as a society’s capacity to ensure the welfare of all its members by minimizing disparities and avoiding polarization, while fostering supportive communities of free individuals who pursue shared goals through democratic means.

On June 25, 2025, President Zelenskyy, on behalf of Ukraine, signed an Agreement with the Council of Europe on the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine.

Analytical document “Migration Policy of Ukraine: Legal Regulation and European Integration” sheds light on the complex challenges facing Ukraine in the field of migration, especially exacerbated by the full-scale Russian invasion. Mass emigration, demographic changes, the need to adapt legislation to new realities, and Ukraine’s EU integration commitments call for systematic and balanced solutions. The analysis of the current situation, legal framework and international standards presented in this document has revealed a number of problematic aspects and areas for improvement, including coordination between government agencies, enforcement of migrant rights and resolution of citizenship-related issues.

Today, Europe has changed because we didn’t manage to stop Russia. This is not a pessimistic view, but a straightforward fact. Sometimes, even our international friends say (or think) that Ukrainians are overly emotional and traumatized. But the truth is that we have accepted a terrifying reality and are trying to resist it — rather than believing in wishful thinking, which belongs to the world of fantasy. There is no more security in Europe and all hybrid threats will become real for countries under the NATO umbrella if Ukraine loses to the aggressor.

Russia’s full-scale invasion led to emigration of a huge number of Ukrainians, which has become an economic and humanitarian challenge not only for Ukraine but also for the partner countries hosting millions of forcibly displaced persons. According to the most conservative estimates presented in Civil Network OPORA research study, the population of Ukraine declined by more than 8 million during the period of 1991 to February 24, 2022. Russia’s war of aggression has significantly worsened the demographic situation in Ukraine, causing massive internal and external displacement. According to the UNHCR, 6,346,300 citizens of Ukraine were registered in Europe as of February 19, 2025. Furthermore, the aforementioned study based on the data collected by mobile operators indicates that the number of residents of Ukraine has decreased by more than 7 million as of June 6, 2023 relative to December 31, 2021.

"Peace agreed upon," declared The Washington Times on September 28, 1938. By now, we should have learned: deals with predator states bent on conquest – whether Nazi Germany then or Russia today – don't buy peace; they invite war. In the last century, Europe didn't avert disaster; it sleepwalked straight into the deadliest conflict in humanity's history.