Four years after the outbreak of war, many Ukrainians with temporary protection status are still living in Luxembourg. Two of them, Sasha and Margo, share in an interview how their families have built a new life in the Grand Duchy.
In March 2022, Sasha fled to Luxembourg with two of her three children. Her husband and eldest son remained near Kyiv. “We speak every day, several times a day”, she says, adding: “We’re doing everything we can to stay safe so that the younger children can have a normal school education.”
After spending more than two and a half years living with a Luxembourgish host family, Sasha now lives in a rented house. “This is my refuge. I’m really proud of myself”, she said.
She is currently completing an online course to become an interior designer. Learning Luxembourgish was important to her and felt self-evident: “I think it’s very important to learn the language of the country you live in. I want to show my respect for the country.”
Margo, another Ukrainian national, has also been living in Luxembourg for almost four years and currently resides in Differdange. “We came here to live in safety, but today I feel at home here”, she said.
She has retrained in the IT sector and volunteers to support other Ukrainians. “We are here, but our hearts beat in the same rhythm as the whole Ukrainian nation”, she said.
As for the future, uncertainty remains, with Margo saying she has a Plan A and a Plan B.
