Life in Kyiv during wartime is never boring. The daily air raid sirens are a sobering reminder of the conflict, but there’s something more that makes life exciting. War has also provided an opportunity for Ukrainian students, aspiring young diplomats, lawyers and politicians to contemplate and discuss their future.

Countless new youth groups have emerged hosting events in community spaces across the country. One of these groups is called Rising Leaders for the Future, and it was my great pleasure to participate in an engaging discussion with these enthusiastic young people at the Ukrainian-Danish Youth House. Ukrainian-Danish Youth House is a co-working and exhibition space in the historic Golden Gate neighbourhood of Kyiv. I was joined by my colleague Jozef Hrabina, a geopolitical risk consultant from Bratislava, to discuss the war, post-war recovery plus the risks and opportunities inherent in both.

Who’s in da house?

We started by talking about the current state of the conflict. How’s the war going? Will Ukraine win? What are the short and long-term effects of the Kursk incursion? Then we moved on to how much the war and post-war recovery could cost. Where’s that money going to come from? Why not just seize & spend Russia’s money? How can we recover faster so that our people can return home sooner?

As the discussion grew, the group got more animated and involved. These young people know they are the “Recovery Generation” if they stay in Ukraine. The big question is, should they stay or leave to study elsewhere? We discussed what the post-war recovery would look like and how they could reform government and democracy? How can they ensure that corruption is not part of the new Ukraine? Is the country doomed to a future as a constantly militarised nation?

This was not a presentation followed by a Q&A, this was a full-blown group debate. Joe and I would start talking about something like corruption, then the group would jump in with their opinions and gradually we created a shared vision of potential solutions. War is constantly mutating with potential risks around every corner at every hour of the day – that’s life in Ukraine. These students ensure they use as many of their not-at-risk hours to better their chances in the future new Ukraine.

Back to the Future

The future of Ukraine is in the hands of its young people. Those under the age of 30 have no personal exposure to the Soviet-era past, so they have more hope that true change is possible. Talk to someone who remembers when Ukraine was ruled from Moscow, and they tend to look back with rose-coloured glasses. Under Soviet and then Russian control, everyone had a low-paying job and some basic food on the table, but life was boring and monotono

War has awakened the spirit of the Ukrainians, especially young people who wish to establish a unique cultural and personal identity. The future leaders of Ukraine are free to explore their vision for a new Ukraine free of Soviet-era corruption and embraced by the West.

While people everywhere have the same complaints about the cost of living, most don’t have to head to a bunker three times a day to avoid being killed by a shrieking missile or a murderous grenade-dropping Russian drone.

Slava Ukraini! Heroaim Slava!