Ultimately, the human cost compels a renewed sense of urgency. The stories of families torn apart by shelling in Mariupol, the harrowing journeys of refugees fleeing Kharkiv, and the mounting mental and emotional toll on frontline soldiers remind us of the stakes. Millions of people yearn for a future free of conflict—where children can attend schools safely, homes are not threatened by missile strikes, and peace is more than a distant aspiration.