LVIV, Ukraine (NewsNation) — Fleeing the war-torn city of Kyiv, Tatiana made it to Lviv with her 10 children. Despite everything, she couldn’t be more proud to be Ukrainian.

“I’m very thankful for the people who help us,” she said. “One of them helped us to get to the train, others help us here. Everyone is united.”

Tatiana is heading to Poland, and Tomas — a Polish citizen himself — is her ride. His friend convinced him to drive some medicine to Ukraine when the war broke out. Since then, he’s been ferrying Ukrainian refugees to his home country three times a day. 

“It’s normal people like me like you,” he said. “It’s our brothers and sisters. And I must have something to do because I want everybody helped.” 

Another Ukrainian, who declined to give his name, thinks back to the day Ukraine became an independent nation. He has no intention of living under Soviet rule again. He believes the future of the West depends on what happens next.

“We are the buffer zone for all of Europe,” he said. “If we fail, the whole Europe will fail. If Ukraine exists, the world exists.”

In East Ukraine, cities such as Kharkiv and Kyiv have been bearing the brunt of the bombings. Out west, things have been more stable — with the determination of Ukrainians and eastern Europeans on full display. 

Some have been packaging food off to send east. Others have been enlisting in the Ukrainian national guard to protect their communities. 

Everyone is involved. 

Tomas wants the western world to know that no act is too small.

“Everybody can help. Everybody can do something,” he said.

For Tatiana, the thought of better days is pushing her forward.

“I believe that everything will be OK and that this nightmare will end and my children will have a bright future,” she said.