The war in Ukraine shows no sign of letting up. Now many of those refugees who fled that conflict share a profound skepticism about whether a ceasefire can last. Oleh Fylypiv and his family escaped their homeland on the morning of February 24, 2022. They took this bold step in reaction to Vladimir Putin’s invasion. They have since made their home in the United Kingdom. Here, they are working to recreate their lives, to find a calm distant from the combat that has ravaged their country.
For the Fylypiv family, life was going according to plan until the war hit them. The impacts of the conflict have been devastating for them and thousands of other families around Ukraine. As Oleh Fylypiv, now at an IT company in the UK, said, “Each family in Ukraine is touched by this.” His wife, Oleksandra, feels the same way about past ceasefire deals and their uselessness.
Like all Ukrainians, I wish peace to come tomorrow. Yet despite their hope, they are still extremely doubtful as to what the Russians are doing and if any ceasefire will hold.
The Emotional Toll of Displacement
Another refugee, Olha Pavliuk, a 30-year-old research assistant, left her home Zaporizhzhia only one week after the invasion started. She is convinced that any ceasefire negotiated wouldn’t stick, seeing it as only lip service from Russia. “A ceasefire is meaningless for Russia,” she said firmly. Pavliuk further makes some troubling comparisons with Russian president Vladimir Putin and former U.S. president Donald Trump.
“I’m pretty sure Donald Trump respects Putin, he likes Putin and he actually acts like Putin, in my opinion.” – Olha Pavliuk
What Pavliuk saw is echoed by many Ukrainians we’ve spoken to, and it’s beautiful to hear. It’s no wonder that many are skeptical about any deals brokered with Russia, which they fear will be broken, resulting in more pain and chaos.
Yaroslavna Mishchenko echoes similar concerns. And she dreams of returning to Ukraine someday. Like all Colombian peace advocates, she hopes to be able to assist on the frontline of activism or enjoy life once a durable resolution is achieved. But after all she’s been through, she’s become skeptical of any Russian assurances.
“So I definitely don’t believe Russia — I don’t believe that they will keep this ceasefire forever.” – Yaroslavna Mishchenko
Displacement doesn’t just sever connections, it causes a heavy emotional injury. They suffer from turmoil over their future and the future of their homeland.
Historical Context and Current Realities
The roots of the current conflict go much further back than most people would think. Pavliuk’s main point is that the war didn’t start in 2022. Rather, its origins lay in 2014, when Russia first invaded and annexed Crimea. In 2015, they won a ceasefire. After seven years, they made our country the target of a full-scale invasion,” she said. This legacy of unfulfilled promises has bred deep and pervasive distrust.
The war has produced a deep current of hope and optimism among Ukrainians, including artists like Yaroslavna Mishchenko. She makes it clear that Ukraine is going to keep fighting, as long as they have support from outside. Is support from the United States critical? Would it be possible to solve all of these issues without one? Practically, I hope we can too.
Mishchenko’s statements capture an enduring spirit beneath many Ukrainians, who are still eager to keep fighting for their sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Hope for the Future Amidst Uncertainty
With all that they are enduring, many of the Ukrainians we’ve met remain optimistic about the day they can return to their own homes. Fylypiv points to the need for more than a ceasefire. We can’t abandon Ukraine now — or in the future — hoping for a temporary peace while letting Russia off the hook. Second, he argues that it is important to make sure that Ukraine does not give up land just to end the fighting.
“It’s about making the peace last and having Russia pay for the lives they took away from us.” – Oleh Fylypiv
Oleksandra Fylypiv, who echoes her husband’s feelings, emphasizes that any peace agreement needs to focus on the fundamental issues in contention. We do not wish to conclude this war through the now fashionable policy of ceding our lands and begging for peace. It’s not that easy,” she pushed back strongly.
As these millions of refugees continue to build new lives among welcoming friends and family in foreign countries, their hearts are forever tethered to Ukraine. Hope of returning home is all they can dream of. It is driven by an abiding hope for peace and security in the continued backdrop of the conflict.
