A strong and secure European Union depends on robust human capital, built through quality education. It may not be apparent, but Europe's stability will partly depend on whether Ukraine can preserve and develop education despite Russian aggression.
First, undermining access to education in Ukraine leads to a lack of skilled professionals needed to rebuild and sustain economic and social development. Such capacity gaps could be exploited in future waves of Russian aggression, potentially beyond Ukraine's borders.
Second, weakening Ukraine's education system, which transmits critical thinking, democratic and pro-European values, creates fertile ground for Russian propaganda, as we already see Moscow attempting to spread disinformation about youth mobilization and recruit teenagers to sabotage the Ukrainian military and local authorities.
Therefore, supporting education in Ukraine is a shared interest and we, together with the EU, should continue to make extraordinary efforts to keep learning alive.
Harshest winter
Ukraine is experiencing its harshest winter. While average temperatures have dropped to between minus 15 C and minus 20 C, Russia is intensifying attacks on critical infrastructure. Prolonged power outages and lack of heating are destabilizing in-person learning in 60% of schools.
This is another blow to an education system exhausted by four years of full-scale war — especially, since schools and kindergartens remain among the enemy’s preferred targets.
Roughly one in six educational institutions has been damaged or destroyed, including the Ministry of Education and Science. Meanwhile, learning losses, already estimated at between 18 months and two years of schooling in 2022, are worsened by stress and trauma.
European cooperation
We must focus our joint efforts with the EU on addressing all these challenges.
The most urgent priority is energy resilience. Almost 6,700 schools need additional generators or backup power to ensure uninterrupted access to learning. There is an almost permanent need for large-scale rehabilitation, while at least 4,900 safe shelters for schools must be built to cover all children attending in-person or blended learning.
Additionally, around 1,300 out of nearly 12,000 kindergartens across Ukraine lack access to safe shelters. It is critical to invest in catch-up programs for children, especially those from temporarily occupied territories. Another priority is expanding access to preschool, especially in frontline areas, where 83% of young children show signs of delayed development.
We cannot wait until the war ends, as it would cost an entire generation’s potential. That is why Ukraine operates in "double mode": restoring access while improving the quality of education to develop our greatest asset — human capital.
This urgency led us to introduce the world’s first underground schools: more than 90 are already operating, with 200 planned by 2026. Where in-person learning is not possible, we provide devices and tailored solutions for children studying abroad or living under occupation.
Ukraine is also modernizing the education system at all levels, from early childhood to higher education, aligned with EU standards. Education has become a national priority after defense, with the state budget up to 80% over three years.
We are deeply grateful to all partners who support us. Yet, further support is essential, and we invite the EU to collaborate through flexible cooperation formats — from expert and technical support to the direct provision of material resources or financial contributions.
EU's soft power
From the EU's perspective, supporting Ukraine's education is both an act of solidarity, ensuring young Ukrainians access free schools during war, and a strategic soft power investment, safeguarding and transmitting European values.
Sustaining and modernizing Kyiv's education system is an investment in Europe's long-term development and security, especially in light of Ukraine's future EU accession.
The quality of education Ukrainians receive today will determine how effectively the country can contribute to the European economy, expand the single market, strengthen its position in global trade and enhance EU research and innovation competitiveness, particularly given its expertise in military technologies.
Thus, this is an opportunity to strengthen the European alliance with Ukraine’s robust human capital.
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