Europe’s Future: A Demographic Dialogue

First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, actively participated in the “GROWING EUROPE 2025: Shaping Europe’s Demographic Future by Investing in Families and Every New Life” summit, held online and hosted in Vilnius on November 17-18. This international event, organized under the leadership of the First Lady of Lithuania, Diana Nausėdienė, brought together various leaders to address pressing demographic challenges facing Europe today.

During the summit, Zelenska highlighted the significant impact of security on family planning choices, particularly referencing the low fertility rates in Ukraine, exacerbated by ongoing conflict. The UN has projected a global decline in birth rates, with most European families having only one child by the century’s end. Ukraine’s fertility rate has notably dropped to between 0.8 and 0.9, the lowest in its history, due to the Russian invasion.

Zelenska also underscored the coincidence of the summit’s dates with World Prematurity Day, drawing attention to the increase in premature births in Ukraine amid the war. She detailed urgent measures taken by her country at the conflict’s onset, including the importation of incubators for newborns. The First Lady emphasized the country’s initiatives to bolster demographic resilience, including enhancing social support for children and families, which she views as integral to national defense.

Furthermore, she outlined Ukraine’s engagement with the European Child Guarantee, aiming to secure children’s access to essential services like free education, healthcare, and adequate nutrition. Zelenska concluded her address by expressing gratitude towards European nations for their support of Ukrainian children and mothers, advocating for continued investment in families as a pivotal demographic and peace-building strategy. She stressed the importance of personalizing demographic policies to improve both statistical outcomes and human lives.