During her speech, Ruslana spoke, in particular, about the UVF financing of veteran businesses in Ukraine and public organizations that work with veterans, military personnel and their relatives.
“War requires new approaches and joint efforts. The need for solidarity between state institutions and civil society has never been more urgent, and we have been observing this for more than a month. It was the synergy of citizens and the state that saved us from occupation. Caring for veterans returning from war is urgent and should be at the top of the nation’s agenda. It demands immediate action from all of us. This question cannot wait “after the victory”, because the veterans are already here. After the victory, there will be much more of them,” our colleague emphasized.
Ruslana emphasized that civil society can influence state policy in the field of providing social services and state guarantees for family members of veterans and family members of the fallen (deceased).
“According to the latest data from the Institute of Demography, 28 million people live in Ukraine today. According to the government’s calculations, the number of veterans and their family members will be 5 million people. Therefore, it will be impossible not to notice 17% of the entire population. Their problems will turn into a colossal challenge. That is why state institutions, such as the UVF, and civil society should have started working yesterday in order to solve it at least in half a year,” Ruslana stressed.
“We must stand side by side, work together and focus our efforts on supporting our veterans. They deserve our full respect, understanding and support. And this is our joint duty – to provide them with a friendly and safe rear,” our colleague summed up.