The Ukrainian Center in Brussels has closed after nearly four years of operation

The refugee committee "Ukrainian Voices," which operated in Brussels' European Quarter, was forced to close its doors to visitors at the beginning of the month.

This was reported by Euractiv.

“The largest Ukrainian community center in Brussels closed its doors after nearly four years of operation following an eviction notice from the Brussels-Capital Region’s regional government,” the publication writes.

The decision was made amid prolonged political uncertainty in the region, which remained without an elected government for 613 days. During this period, the interim administration decided to cut funding for the center as part of broader budget cuts.

The eight-story building is privately owned, but maintenance costs were covered by the Brussels-Capital Region, which provided the premises to the center. The organization’s annual budget was approximately 800,000 euros, and monthly expenses—including taxes and utilities—amounted to roughly 30,000 euros.

“We don’t have that kind of money,” said Pavlo Koshka, the Committee’s coordinator.

The eviction notice provided almost no explanation for the decision, although it did acknowledge the center’s “undeniable success.”

According to Koshka, the building’s owners would have been “happy to let us stay rather than leave the building empty and continue paying taxes on it.”

This is the organization’s third move. Currently, it has no new premises at its disposal.

The center, opened in March 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, became a vital support hub for thousands of people who arrived in Belgium under the EU Temporary Protection Directive.

Overall, it provided assistance not only to Ukrainians—by 2025, more than 51,000 people had used its services. The center offered psychological support in Ukrainian, language courses, legal consultations regarding temporary protection status, as well as cultural and sports events and support for children.

“We don’t view this project simply as a job; it’s truly a second home for us. It’s not just a building,” added Koshka.

The new Brussels administration, which has been in office since February 14, 2026, technically has the authority to overturn the eviction order, the organization noted. They added that they have already reached out to key officials requesting urgent meetings.

“The new government isn’t being proactive; we’ve sent them many letters,” said Koshka.

As of now, there has been no response, and the Committee’s future remains uncertain. “We need to look for a new building and new financial support,” he concluded.

Earlier, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated the financial needs to support Ukrainian refugees in 2026 at $614 million, which is 23.6% less than what was planned for 2025 ($803.6 million).