On 18 February, the European Economic and Social Committee held a plenary side event marking four years since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine.

The programme included two screenings that painted a powerful portrait of the lived realities of war and Europe’s unwavering solidarity with Ukraine.

Hey Czechs!, a lyrical documentary by Czech director David Van, was filmed during two humanitarian missions organised by the Czech initiative Memory of Nations, which brought medical supplies and vehicles to Ukraine. The author, who tells the story through the eyes of someone encountering the war for the first time, offers a glimpse of humanitarian workers in action and life in war-torn areas. Through frontline encounters with locals and soldiers, he captures moments of life under constant air strikes, the horrors left behind by Russian occupiers but also the humanity and humour that endure despite the devastation.

The event also featured a short Polish reportage produced by Deutsche Welle, Grupa Valentyna, which portrays a group of volunteers from Gdańsk supporting Ukrainian children affected by the war.

EESC President Séamus Boland and the Ambassador of Ukraine to the EU, Vsevolod Chentsov opened the event. The screenings were followed by a discussion moderated by EESC Vice-President for Communication Marija Hanževački, with contributions from the film’s director David Van, Head of Ukraine Support at Memory of Nations Martin Ocknecht and Head of Deutsche Welle Poland Bartosz Dudek. (ab)

Russia’s relentless attacks on Ukraine’s energy system have pushed millions into darkness, but for people with disabilities the impact is even more devastating. Power outages strip away autonomy, medical support and hope, leaving many isolated and vulnerable. Civil society organisations are working tirelessly to ease this suffering. Lars Bosselmann, Executive Director of the European Blind Union, shares how his organisation is supporting blind and partially sighted Ukrainians.

By Lars Bosselmann

Four years of humanitarian tragedy. Four years in which Ukrainians have been living with daily hardship. The start of the Russian invasion in February 2022 has shaken Ukraine at the political, economic and social level. Although we usually speak about the impact of conflicts in people’s lives in broad terms, we should always remind ourselves about how the reality of communities at risk of social exclusion – such as persons with disabilities – are affected by the devastation caused by war.

Since the start of the conflict, the European Blind Union (EBU) has been closely monitoring the situation of blind and partially sighted Ukrainians, and has organised support thanks to our generous members.

Recently, we had the chance to talk to Larysa Baida, from the National Assembly of Persons with Disabilities in Ukraine (NAPD), in the latest episode of our podcast, EBU in Action (available on Apple Podcasts, Podbean and Spotify). Her testimony revealed a terrifying scenario where people are losing their lives and homes, and where schools, medical facilities and other essential structures are being destroyed.

Power outages continue to occur, resulting in the collapse of the energy system. All this is happening during a period when temperatures in some regions can reach as low as -25°C, making this one of the harshest winters in recent years.

This terrible context doesn’t only affect infrastructure. The crisis is also about constant violations of fundamental rights by Russia: many people with disabilities are losing their autonomy and independence due to power outages, as they rely on electricity to use assistive devices. Additionally, being unable to use home-based medical equipment and the lack of personalised rehabilitation services increase the risk of medical complications, as well as feelings of loneliness and despair.

Despite all these challenges, civil society organisations are doing their best to meet the needs of blind and partially sighted people. In addition, EBU has also committed to continuing its financial support to help visually impaired Ukrainians. Through funds donated to NAPD, our colleagues have been able to support a shelter in Dnipro (including repairs to its water supply) and purchase medical equipment for the Okhmatdyt Hospital in Kyiv (a healthcare facility where NAPD provides training to doctors and medical staff), among others.

Thanks to our collaboration with NAPD, we have also been able to distribute financial aid among the different regional branches of the Ukrainian Association of the Blind, EBU’s Ukrainian member. In parallel, our network of national associations has also contributed to humanitarian assistance in several areas, such as helping blind and partially sighted Ukrainian refugees integrate into their host countries.

As you read these lines, NAPD continues its close cooperation with organisations of persons with disabilities, UN agencies and other disability-related stakeholders to support our communities in Ukraine. In an international context marked by political turmoil, we must not forget the desperate struggles of those who are living through war. Our most precious wish is for this war to come to an end and lead us to a new peaceful era where rebuilding can take place.

Lars Bosselmann is the Executive Director of the European Blind Union (EBU).

If you wish to make a donation to help people with disabilities in Ukraine, you can find the necessary financial information on the NAPD’s webpage.

By Sandra Parthie, president of the Employers’ Group

This month marks four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began: four years of devastation, but also of courage, resistance and unbroken resolve. What began as an attempt to erase a sovereign nation has become a defining test of Europe’s unity and our shared commitment to peace, freedom and democracy.

From day one, Europe has stood by Ukraine. Financial and military support have kept institutions functioning, services running and the economy alive under relentless attack. Opening the EU single market to Ukrainian goods and services has been one of our strongest acts of solidarity, keeping trade flowing, supporting jobs and helping Ukrainian companies plug into EU value chains. Recovery begins with partnership, and Ukraine’s future lies with the European family.

This partnership is built not only by institutions, but also by people. In the aftermath of the invasion, the Employers’ Group quickly engaged with Ukrainian business partners, showing that reconstruction happens employer to employer, business to business, society to society. These relationships of trust will drive Ukraine’s integration and recovery.

Four years on, solidarity is essential, but not enough. Europe must work more actively for a credible, lasting peace because political predictability and security are the foundations on which reconstruction and private investment can truly thrive. Fully implementing the Ukraine Facility, especially its investment pillar, will be crucial to mobilising finance and opening new opportunities for public and private partners. At the same time, integrating Ukraine’s energy market with the EU through investment in grid connections and cross‑border capacity will support industrial recovery and boost Europe’s energy security.

As we continue this work, we must reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine’s path to EU membership. The European Economic and Social Committee was the first EU institution to endorse this goal, and we stand by it today with the same conviction. Ukraine belongs in the European Union, politically, economically and in spirit. The courage of the Ukrainian people reminds us that when freedom is defended together, it not only endures, it grows stronger.

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) warns that a weak long-term EU budget would undermine competitiveness, cohesion, agriculture and democracy. In a set of eight newly adopted opinions, the Committee calls for a stronger, fairer and future-proof multiannual financial framework (MFF) for 2028 to 2034, highlighting key risks, including proposed cuts to the common agricultural policy (CAP), dilution of cohesion and social investment and insufficient support for youth, skills and innovation.

As negotiations on the EU’s next long-term budget continue, European organised civil society is sending a clear message through the EESC: the EU cannot afford a budget that falls short of its ambitions. With this new set of policy recommendations to the European institutions, the EESC calls for a substantially stronger MFF, one that protects cohesion and agriculture, invests in people and skills, increases EU competitiveness and ensures that no region or generation is left behind.

‘The next EU budget is not a technical exercise, it is a political choice about what kind of Europe we want,’ EESC President Séamus Boland stressed during the plenary.

‘The EU budget must be future-proof. Cohesion, good governance and strong social rules are essential for making funding work and supporting the green and digital transitions,’ said MFF rapporteur Dominika Biegon.

Europe faces unprecedented investment needs, from the green and digital transitions and security challenges to demographic shifts, skills shortages and geopolitical pressures. However, the EESC warns that the Commission's proposed MFF increase would barely keep pace with inflation, while NextGenerationEU debt repayment risks crowding out future investment.

Beyond budget levels, the EESC strongly warns against merging key EU policies into a single fund, forcing cohesion, agriculture, fisheries, social inclusion and security to compete with each other. This would weaken long-term investment, increase regional inequalities and undermine EU trust.

The Committee insists that cohesion policy must remain available to all regions and rejects proposals to cut the CAP. Investment in people must also be central, with stronger funding for Erasmus+ and youth programmes.

Across all areas, the EESC sends the same signal: the EU's ambitions cannot be delivered on the cheap. Civil society urges the Commission, Parliament and Council to treat the next MFF as a strategic investment plan, not a mere budgetary compromise. (tk/fb)