Previous research has conceptualized and investigated internationalization of higher education in relatively stable and peaceful environments. Studies on internationalization in the context of war are largely absent. Using interviews and survey responses from Ukrainian professors and administrators affected by the Russian invasion of 2014-2022, this paper re-examines the premises of internationalization, and outlines key dilemmas facing universities in times of existential crisis. The study reveals that the transformative powers of crisis-driven internationalization redefine ontological and axiological foundations of universities. University stakeholders readjust their responsibilities to reduce human vulnerability, while international solidarity helps them mitigate fragility in the war-affected academia.