Ten years of conflict and now two and a half years fighting off a full-scale invasion have taught Ukraine the value — and the steep cost — of independence in the harshest way possible. Concepts once debated in the safety of forums or the classroom have taken on an entirely new meaning when tested on the battlefield or at home under relentless shelling. Although the experiences of individual Ukrainians vary, a collective experience has undeniably emerged, woven into the fabric of national discourse and the quiet conversations held around kitchen tables among friends and families. The prevailing…