Ukrainian young people, both women and men, are sacrificing their well-being, health and their lives, to protect Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression, and to promote democracy and human rights in Europe. Youth policies and youth work in Europe have a key role in supporting young Ukrainians and addressing their key needs during, and after the war. Major European civil society initiatives, like Lviv, the European Youth Capital in 2025, highlight youth civil society engagement in international co-operation. Ensuring continued support and solidarity for Ukraine needs to remain a priority across Europe.

These were the key messages of the discussion “Youth, Ukraine, Europe: Coming of age during war. How can European youth policy adapt?” which was organised as a side event to the PACE winter session.

“As the war of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine continues, Ukrainian young people are sacrificing their well-being, health and their lives in order to protect Ukraine, democracy and human rights in Europe”, said Matjaž Gruden, Director for Democracy at the Council of Europe. Gruden stressed that European youth policy will have to adapt to the changing realities, support young Ukrainians and address their key needs and challenges during and after the war. He highlighted how the Council of Europe youth department is empowering young people to play their role and will continue to do so in the coming year.

The side event, co-sponsored by the PACE members from Ukraine and Germany, Yevheniia Kravchuk and Knut Abraham, brought together members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, youth stakeholders from Ukraine, and representatives of the Council of Europe member states.

Yevheniia Kravchuk, Chairperson of the PACE Sub-Committee on Youth and the Society of the Future and Member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine said: “I want to underline that Ukrainian youth in the times of war on European continent shows resilience as all the Ukrainian nation but shows that young people do not stand aside. They are volunteers, they fight at the front line, some of them already are veterans, even though being very young. But also, they move forward, and the slogan of Lviv as the European youth capital 2025 is underlining it - not easy but move. We all have to move, remembering those who we unfortunately lost, but having a European future”.

As she added, it's important for representatives of different countries, parliamentarians, youth from different countries to come to Lviv during this year and to show this support and to see the interesting events Lviv had prepared.

The event provided an opportunity to share ideas and recommendations on responses to the negative consequences of the war on young people in Ukraine. This is particularly important in light of Ukraine’s membership in the Council of Europe Development Bank, which supports the reconstruction and rehabilitation needs of Ukraine’s social sectors.

The discussion is part of a series of events organised by the Council of Europe youth department, aimed at integrating youth perspectives into Ukraine’s recovery efforts. The goal is to support Ukrainian authorities in developing comprehensive policies for young people in Ukraine today and after the war.