Ukrainian human rights defender Oleksandra Matviichuk said Ukraine is “returning home to European values” and is paying the highest possible price for that path, as she received the European Order of Merit at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
Matviichuk, who heads the Centre for Civil Liberties, the organization awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, was recognized for her contribution to European integration and the defense of European values. Speaking before members of the European Parliament, she said Ukraine’s struggle is not only about territory, but about the country’s place in Europe after centuries under Russia’s shadow.
“For three centuries, we were in the shadow of the Russian Empire. And I’m here to say: Europe, we are back,” Matviichuk said, according to Euronews. She added that Ukraine is paying “the highest price” for its return to European values.
In her address, Matviichuk warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war goes beyond Ukraine. She argued that Moscow sees Ukraine as a bridge to Europe and that other European countries remain safe because Ukrainians continue to resist Russian aggression. According to her, this makes Ukraine an essential part of Europe’s security architecture.
Matviichuk also said the world is entering a dangerous period, warning that the international order based on the UN Charter and international law has collapsed. She urged Europe to defend freedom and democracy, stressing that Europe is defined less by geography and more by shared values.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former Polish President Lech Wałęsa were also present at the ceremony, where Matviichuk was named among the first laureates of the European Order of Merit.
