<![CDATA[ Ucrânia: um espírito não quebra ]]>

Seen from Lviv , Ukraine is determined to join the European Union. With a spirit that sometimes shakes but never breaks, Ukrainian civil society remains committed to its European future, despite a large-scale war that has lasted almost four years. On February 24, 2022, Vladimir Putin sought to take Ukraine back to a past that the country resolutely rejects. Leading that spirit, which rises above daily difficulties, is the Ukrainian youth who want a future like that of so many young Europeans—a future where they can freely be, study, work, travel, debate, or simply dance without the constant fear of Russian missiles and drones. This is what "Visto de Bruxellois" witnessed last week in Lviv, at the invitation of the European Commission Representation in Lisbon and the Erasmus+ National Agency , with the support of the Lviv City Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

The initiative

#EnlargementCEmp , which brought together a group of young Portuguese and Ukrainians in Lviv from September 3rd to 7th, was inspired by a highly successful initiative launched by the European Commission's office in Lisbon in 2017: #SummerCEmp – a summer school on European topics for Portuguese university students, often held in one of Portugal's many historic villages. The multiplier effect, pedagogical impact, and media exposure of #SummerCEmp are unique: both for the high level of political and institutional participation (national and European), and for the number of young people who have participated over the years and are now living in Brussels and working in the EU or in areas linked to the European integration project. I'm even surprised that the model hasn't already been adopted by the European Commission and other EU countries...

In Ukraine, the meeting had a different meaning because the country is fighting a war of aggression that seeks to steal the country's European future.

The heroes

Every day at 9:00 a.m., Ukraine pauses in silence for a minute to honor its war dead. That's also what the group did on the first day at dusk: a visit to the Lychakivske Cemetery to honor those who fell defending Ukraine. I still have difficulty expressing what I felt upon arriving at that space draped with Ukrainian flags. With the sun nearly setting behind us, the conversations that had enlivened the bus ride fell into stony silence, as one participant noted later. Lychakivske lies home to approximately 1,200 Ukrainian service members —men and some women—some of whom lost their lives just days before the start of #EnlargementCEmp.

It's difficult to visit a war cemetery with young Ukrainian boys who are approaching the age at which they either cannot leave Ukraine (from 23 – between 18 and 22, they can now leave the country) or may be called upon to defend their country (from 25). There, they perhaps looked, with the courage they have demonstrated all these years, at what could be their fate if they were sent to the front. Even with all their bravery and patriotism, I can't imagine what might go through a young man's mind when faced with that reality.

The Unbroken Rehabilitation Center

Because life goes on for those injured by war of aggression, the group visited a physical rehabilitation center— Unbroken —dedicated to military personnel or civilians who have suffered injuries or lost upper and/or lower limbs. With services ranging from physical rehabilitation and mental health to prosthetic manufacturing and social reintegration, the center of excellence we visited is the result of both Ukrainian ingenuity and determination, as well as international cooperation, both public and private. The most extraordinary thing was realizing that the renovation of the building housing the center and its extension with new buildings is being carried out while the country is at war, demonstrating the extraordinary responsiveness of the state and municipality in such a demanding and emergency context.

Despite the pain and difficulties faced by those who have to resort to Unbroken, it is the stories of overcoming that count and which can be read here at this link .

Ukraine's European future

It is this overcoming that Ukraine is also determined to achieve in its EU accession process. As the initiative's name suggests – #EnlargementCEmp – much of the discussion in Lviv revolved around EU enlargement to include Ukraine. From various perspectives, the idea that Europe and Ukraine share a common future emerged from the discussions. Having been in contact with Ukrainians from the public sector and civil society since the beginning of the war, I was not surprised by the level of preparation and professionalism of all the speakers who participated on the Ukrainian side. Most had clear messages about what they expect and want from the EU, but also about the added value the country can bring to a union of states that seeks to be more geopolitical – from rare earth metals to security and defense. And this, without overlooking the difficulties that the process will surely face. This realism is an important starting point to avoid future disagreements or misunderstandings between the parties.

As we know, the enlargement process with Ukraine is currently hampered by the veto of Hungary's Mr. Orbán, who appears more intent on pleasing Moscow. Apparently, even President Trump doesn't seem to understand the Hungarian leader's obstinacy on this issue. This being the reality, it's possible that 'technical' enlargement negotiations with Ukraine could move forward informally within the 26, until elections in Hungary next year produce a new prime minister who would allow the process to become official within the 27. If Orbán is re-elected, the EU will then have to be even more creative to avoid disappointing the expectations of many Ukrainians, but also of many Europeans.

A spirit that does not break

Despite the war and all the obstacles that will stand in Ukraine's way in the coming months and years, what was clear was that the unbreakable spirit of the young Ukrainians who joined the camp was contagious and touched everyone. Courage, hope, pain, sharing, empathy, and friendship marked the days in Lviv.

As one of those young people said, recalling the difficult times he had experienced recently, #EnlargementCEmp had given him a lifeline *, a “lifeline.” It is this 'lifeline' that we Europeans must have the courage to guarantee, for Ukrainians and for ourselves, allowing these new generations to be, study, work, travel, debate, or simply dance in peace and as soon as possible, as they did on the last day of the meeting – without fearing the future.

* Lifeline can be translated into Portuguese as 'lifeline' or 'oxygen balloon,' but I opted for a literal translation.