In Ukraine, romance and parenthood are becoming distant hopes amid ongoing war. Daria, 34, from Kyiv says, "I haven't had a proper date since before the war." Millions of Ukrainians have been affected by the conflict starting in 2022. Many women left the country, and hundreds of thousands of men are either soldiers or living abroad. Women who remain find few eligible partners as conscription restricts men’s movements and soldiers face trauma and long separations. Daria explains three types of men available: those avoiding conscription, soldiers in long-distance relationships, and younger men who might leave the country anytime. None feel right to her. Soldiers like Ruslan in Kharkiv say long-term commitments feel impossible during war. Denys, a drone operator, says, "Promising a wife or a fiancée any long-term plans is difficult. Every day there is a risk of being killed or injured." Marriage numbers fell from 223,000 in 2022 to 150,000 in 2024. More than six million people emigrated since 2022, says the UN. Birth rates dropped to 0.9 children per woman, far below the 2.1 needed to keep the population stable. Oleksandr Hladun from Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences calls this a "social catastrophe of war." Even couples trying for children face challenges. Olena, 33, freezes her eggs and plans IVF, saying, "During the first year of the war, it felt as if everything had stopped." Her doctor warns that stress and trauma may cause future fertility problems. The government has launched strategies like affordable childcare, but without strong funding and peace, results are limited. Ukraine has lost 17 million people since independence. A return of emigrants could help, but many await a clear end to fighting and regained territory. Hladun warns, "Population decline is a security threat. Russia has more people and resources for war." The uncertainty of war reshapes life. Daria reflects, "Learning to live with that is, in itself, a form of survival."