Europe & Central Asia

The war on Ukraine has uprooted people and wrought hardship, separation and suffering on millions of households on an epic, historic scale. Social theorists have long noted that disasters have a paradoxical tendency to bring out the best in humanity, providing ‘a glimpse of who else we ourselves may be and what else our society could become.’ The range of topics covered in this special edition on Ukraine attest to how much has been accomplished – but also to the challenges that lie ahead.

Youth in Ukraine are supporting each other and their communities. Their experiences offer insights and coping strategies for all those dealing with the challenges of war.

The lessons that have emerged from the implementation of the Temporary Protection Directive have implications far beyond the Ukraine refugee crisis.

A local municipality, a faith-based organisation and a secular grassroots organisation have combined their strengths and capabilities to provide for Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands.

Tens of thousands of people in the UK have opened their homes to Ukrainians. An examination of this historic welcome offers important insights for future schemes aimed at helping refugee groups and vulnerable people.

Lessons about collaboration and refugee inclusion from the legal community’s response to the needs of people displaced from Ukraine could help inform future responses.

Poland responded generously to the influx of refugees from Ukraine, providing significant access to its social protection system. Despite this, however, hardship among refugees persists. There are lessons to be drawn from Poland’s approach.

Ukrainian refugees settling in major cities in neighbouring countries require a more consistent, sustainable local response and integration opportunities.

Temporary protection mechanisms have offered Ukrainians safe harbour in the US but leave them in a precarious state of legal limbo.

Without support from international actors, displaced Ukrainians in Russia are in a precarious situation reliant on volunteer help and on State aid that is conditional upon the acquisition of Russian citizenship.