Today marks two years since Putin unleashed his barbaric military re-invasion of Ukraine. Often forgotten in much of the discourse is that this is, in fact, a re-invasion.

Language matters, as does history. Remembering the brutal actions of Putin dating back to 2014 is the sole way to fully understand the clouds of uncertainty, fear and oppression under which everyday Ukrainians - people who, like anyone else, wish to live a safe and secure life - have been living.

Also important not to forget is that despite repeated calls from true leaders - many of whom experienced the tyranny of the Soviet days - Europe's leading power players appeased Putin, leaving him emboldened. In-effect, far from holding accountable, this has left him in a position where he’s been able to - bit by bit - corrosively erode the very liberal democratic order which had freed Europe from Russia's past shackles of oppression.

Sadly, two years later, we find ourselves in a more grave situation than 2014. Despite visible progress in some fields, the truth is - sadly - support for Ukraine is stalling. "Ukraine fatigue" remains a potent threat, one which risks undermining the valiant and heroic efforts that Ukraine's military and civilian forces have made to repel Russia's re-invasion over the last two years.

At a time when a mixture of Western complacency and far-right and far-left pro-Russian politicians have surged across the transatlantic beltway, now more than ever, we - as a collective of young liberals - need to make our voices heard. This is why we have placed Ukraine's survival at the heart of LYMEC's EU 2024 campaign and our broader advocacy efforts. It is the reason why we remain committed to delivering quality Voices from Ukraine forum events for our members and why we nominated - among many other reasons - the ever-inspiring Yevheniia Fedotova to serve as our member and the sole Ukrainian representative on the Council of Europe's Advisory Council on Youth - Europe's highest youth decision-making body.

LYMEC's support for Ukraine is not simply limited to our written words but also our ongoing advocacy and constant public support. It is for this reason that this weekend, our Secretary General, along with many of our liberal supporters, will be attending marches in support of Ukraine all across Europe, from Brussels to Berlin and Stockholm to Athens.

It is incumbent on us to forge alliances and strengthen our resolve to ensure that decision-makers feel compelled to act. Together, let us continue to show our support to Ukraine and do our part - big or small - to help avoid there being a third or fourth anniversary of Russia's war of aggression and, most importantly, to ensure that Ukraine not only survives as one nation but wins as one too. 

By Dan-Aria Sucuri

President of LYMEC