Worries of Ukrainian families who fled war-torn home land to settle in West Midlands to be put to rest

Worried families who have been in the UK for years are now facing uncertain futures as their visas come closer to their expiry dates and are now anxious the lives they have built here could be shattered.

Mr Parker said he has written to the Government urging them to “show strong leadership” and take decisive action to bring them peace of mind.

He met with a number of Ukrainians who shared their stories and gave an insight into what life has been like since Russia invaded their country in February 2022.

Olga Popova fled Kyiv in February 2022 with her six-year-old son, mother and cat and had to move place to place, finding temporary sanctuary in Croatia, before finally moving to Birmingham in August that year.

She required medical care at Birmingham’s Orthopaedic Hospital and wanted to give something back so started volunteering after just two months in the UK before, in February 2023, securing a job with a charity which helps other Ukrainians settle and integrate into British society.

After years of separation, she was also able to sponsor her husband and father to join us.

She said: “Here, in the UK, we have built a new life from the ashes of our old one. My husband and I both work. We rent our own home. Our son speaks fluent English and thrives at primer and musical school.

“We are not just surviving; we are contributing. We are part of this society! But despite all this, the fear remains: What happens when our visas expire?

In just 18 months, everything we have worked for could be taken away again.

“I feel like we are trapped in a political game. The Ukrainian government urges us to return, to rebuild a shattered country. The British government aligns with this position.

“But no one has asked us what we want! We are not just statistics. We are not just a policy issue. We are real people who have endured unimaginable loss and fought to rebuild.

“We cannot be expected to start over every five years, to live in perpetual uncertainty. Our children deserve a stable future.

“My child should be dreaming about his next Lego set, not about where we will be forced to move next.

“Yet in his young mind, a mobile home has become the symbol of permanence – because uncertainty is all he has known for these three years.

“We deserve the right to call the UK our permanent home. The war is not over. We cannot return. And we should not have to live in fear that the life we have

built here—the safety we have finally found—could be stripped away.”

Mr Parker said: “The West Midlands has opened its doors to Ukrainians fleeing war, offering them safety and stability.

“Those initial visas are expiring but Ukraine is still at war, and uncertainty is growing around the world. We can’t leave people in limbo.

“I’ve met families across our region who are anxious about their futures. Their stories are heart wrenching.

“They’ve built lives here, their kids are in our schools, they’re working, contributing, and they’re part of our communities. But right now, they’re stuck in a maze of paperwork and bureaucracy.

“Other countries might be hesitating, but Britain must lead by example. I’ve written to the Government to ask them to show strong leadership and end the uncertainty for these families.”