Dear readers,

At this tragic time caused by Russia's unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine, we stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

During the EESC plenary session in March, representatives of Ukrainian and Russian civil society brought a strong emotional impact to the debate through their first-hand experiences of the war. "This war is not only a military aggression against Ukraine, but also a crime against civilisation" - the words of Anatoliy Kinakh, president of the National Tripartite Social and Economic Council of Ukraine, resonated among the members and guests in the plenary.

The members of the Committee supported the Resolution on the "War in Ukraine and its economic, social and environmental impact", expressed their solidarity with Ukraine and highlighted the role of civil society in assisting the Ukrainian people and refugees.

Europe is faced with the biggest refugee crisis since World War II, as in one month alone some 3.5 million refugees, including 1.8 million children, were forced to flee the country. However, Europe stands united with the Ukrainian nation, turning solidarity into action.

Since the beginning of the war, we have observed a unique wave of human generosity towards the Ukrainian refugees, a unique example of solidarity, unity and altruism.

Civil society stands with the Ukrainian people. The Ukrainian nation is defending peace and security for all. This human tragedy does not have borders; it concerns us all.  

The European Economic and Social Committee representing organised civil society is turning words into deeds. Our members and their organisations are fully committed to assisting the Ukrainian refugees in every possible way, and have mobilised impressively, as you can see from our special webpage dedicated to Ukraine: https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/initiatives/eesc-ukraine, which shows the work and initiatives being carried out by our members and their civil society organisations.

Cillian Lohan, EESC Vice-President