‘For us, it’s personal’: A Ukrainian tribute to Jane Hutt

As Jane Hutt steps down after nearly three decades in Welsh politics, Yuliia Bond reflects on what her leadership meant for Ukrainians who found refuge in Wales — and why it must not be taken for granted.

I didn’t expect this to hurt this much.

But it does.

Because Jane Hutt is leaving.

For many people, that’s just politics.
For me — and for so many Ukrainians in Wales — it isn’t.

It’s personal.

I still remember the first time I met her.
It was 2022, outside Cardiff Central Library, at a Ukrainian protest.

We didn’t know what would happen next.
We didn’t know if anyone would really stand with us.

And she was there.

Not behind statements.
Not somewhere far away.

There. With us. Listening.

Later, I invited her to Caerphilly to meet our Ukrainian community.
Again, she showed up.

She didn’t just represent — she connected.
She listened to real stories. She saw real lives.

Not numbers. Not headlines.
People.

Just last week, I invited her again to one of our meetings.
The clarity she gave — the honesty about what Wales can do, and what it cannot — matters more than people realise.

Because when your life is uncertain, clarity is everything.

When I listened to her final speech, one line stayed with me.

“The way we’ve stood together at times of crisis… such as Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, welcoming 8,000 Ukrainians into our Nation of Sanctuary… putting party politics to one side and doing what is right.”

For some people, that’s just a sentence.

For us, it’s everything.

It’s safety.
It’s dignity.
It’s children going back to school.
It’s the moment you realise you can breathe again.

I know this not as theory, but as someone who lived it — and as someone who now supports others every day.

In six years, the Nation of Sanctuary programme has used just 0.05% of the Welsh Government’s budget.
Of that, over 92% has supported Ukrainians fleeing war.

And I see the results.

People learn English.
They volunteer.
They find work.
They pay taxes.
They build businesses.
They give back.

This is not a burden.

This is what investment looks like.

Let’s also be clear about something often misunderstood.

Wales does not control immigration — that is decided by Westminster.

What Wales does is support people once they are already here.

Through education, language support, legal advice, and employment pathways.

And the outcome is simple:

Integration reduces pressure.
Exclusion creates it.

But there is another side to this story.

There is fear.
There is hate.
There is misinformation.

Hate crime is not abstract.

It’s someone being shouted at on the street.
It’s children being bullied in schools.
It’s people starting to feel like they don’t belong.

And that has real consequences.

There is work happening in Wales to address this — through community cohesion teams, support services, and efforts to challenge misinformation.

But that work depends on leadership.

And this is why this moment feels so heavy.

Because people like Jane Hutt don’t just talk about values.

They show up.
They stay.
They deliver.

For the Ukrainian community, this is not just policy.

This is lived reality.

The difference between fear and safety.
Between isolation and belonging.
Between surviving — and living.

So yes, this moment hurts.

Because when you have seen what real support looks like, you understand exactly what is at risk.

We are now at a point where the direction we choose will define everything that follows.

Towards inclusion — or division.
Towards truth — or misinformation.
Towards equality — or something much colder.

Wales has already shown what works.

We’ve built it.
We’ve seen the results.
We know the impact.

The responsibility now is simple:

Don’t lose it.