How to talk about the war

When facing uncertainty, words can sometimes fail us, but not talking about our fears only makes them grow. Here are some words and phrases to help you discuss the situation in Ukraine and what it may mean for your life.

Describing what has happened

• Russia invaded Ukraine and started the biggest war in Europe for decades.
• Instead of surrendering, Ukraine started fighting back to defend itself.
• There have been devastating bombardments with heavy weapons.
• Lots of buildings and critical infrastructure have been destroyed.
• Millions of civilians have been forced to flee their homes.
• Many fear that this conflict could escalate further.
• Russia has ramped up attacks on Ukraine.
• Will the economic sanctions against Russia be enough to stop the war?
• Ukraine proposed neutrality, but Russia has rejected the proposal.
• Talks between the two countries are deadlocked.
• An oil embargo would be more difficult for Europe than for the US.
• Foreign businesses have cut ties with Russia or suspended operations there.
• Some people are calling for a boycott of vodka and other Russian exports.
• The authorities have frozen the assets of several Russian banks and oligarchs.
• Logistics have been disrupted across the globe.
• Countries have been taking in refugees from the war zone.
• The West has been supplying weapons and equipment to Ukrainian forces.
• Companies have written off investments and pulled out of joint ventures with Russian firms.

Expressing your concerns

• We all find the situation in Ukraine very distressing.
• Our investors are anxious about the future.
• I’m worried our energy bills are going to skyrocket.
• Let’s collect donations to support the refugees.
• It’s hard to concentrate on work when you know there’s a war on.
• We had hoped for a brighter economic outlook this year, but the war changed all that.

The war in the media

• This is Europe’s first major conflict of the social media age.
• An unverified video popped up in my feed. It’s already got millions of views.
• Make sure you check the source of news before you share it.
• Professional media organizations do their best to verify images and videos.
• Russia is known for its use of propaganda and disinformation.
• A common fake-news trick is to reuse old video footage.
• Images or comments can be misleading when taken out of context.