But this time, the topic of the Club – “Architecture of the Post-War World: How to Deprive Russia of International Influence” – is global and complex. However, it is necessary to work on it and do everything possible to increase its visibility and representation in different environments on various international sites and platforms. In this context, community participants, together with invited speakers, considered the Sustainable Peace Manifesto “The World after Our Victory” developed by representatives of Ukrainian civil society.
What conditions are necessary for the anti-war coalition to protect Ukraine and the world from the new aggression? Why should the world abandon obsolete concepts and approaches when building a system of relations? What shall Russia’s internal transformation be so that it would be impossible for it to pose a threat to other states?
In the course of panel discussions, the speakers emphasised key aspects that we have to focus on in our work in this direction:
Olha Aivazovska, Chair of the Board of Civil Network OPORA, 2009 USPS Alumna:
“What kind of peace can be sustainable for us? After all, it is clear that the aggressor will not disappear, and we have to be ready for the long and consistent work in this way. To coordinate these efforts and offer other states a qualitatively new approach to building relations. That is why we collected and published proposals in the Manifesto, which were presented in February 2023 during the Munich Security Conference. For a broader discussion about reparations, the international tribunal, and the need to transform the Russian Federation, it is necessary to communicate our personal picture of the future, to spread and explain it.”
Anton Korynevych, ambassador on a special assignment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, associate professor of legal sciences, honoured lawyer of Ukraine:
“The main guarantee of peace for Ukraine is the Armed Forces. To achieve sustainable peace, justice must be administered, so we now have the only goal: we are working to achieve the Russian Federation’s full and comprehensive responsibility. It is necessary to use all available mechanisms effectively here. At first glance, arrest warrants may seem to be justice in partial form, but these are already certain results of the consolidated work of our international partners. In fact, wide international support of these processes contributes to the fact that the format of the International Tribunal is now being actively discussed, and the issue of reparation and compensation mechanisms, etc., is being raised. Therefore, strengthening Ukraine’s messages regarding these processes is a key task for us.”
Mykhailo Honchar, President of the Centre for Global Studies Strategy XXI, Editor-in-Chief of the “Black Sea Security” magazine:
“When we talk about peace and, at the same time, justice, it will come only when the aggressor is forced to peace and disarmed after that. Indeed, today, the denuclearisation of the Russian Federation is impossible, but the conditions for this shall still be created in the future. Therefore, our document is another attempt to change the coordinate system and rethink approaches to building this future. First of all, because the model that worked during the Cold War is no longer capable. Because with the change of approaches, consolidation of efforts will certainly follow, so today, the world needs this most of all.”
Roman Romanov, Human Rights and Justice Programme Director, International Renaissance Foundation:
“In Russian society, there is no sense of responsibility for what is happening, and it is necessary to create a system of actions and events which lead to this sense of responsibility, something that cannot be tolerated. Now, we have a historic chance for serious development of international humanitarian law, so we must record actions and consequences of the Russian military aggression in legal documents. After all, this struggle changes many things, and it changes not only us.”
Vakhtang Kebuladze, PhD in Philosophy, writer, Professor of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv:
“Finally, this war forces us to realise that there is evil in this world and define distinct criteria for the good. I would like to believe that victory in the war is the deconstruction of Russia, but getting rid of Russia will not destroy the evil. It seems to us that we are at a certain stage of the Russo-Ukrainian war, and in this sense, our war is a fragment of a great war, a war of anthropologist – ideas about what a human being is, which are represented by very different countries. And the destiny of the whole world order as such will depend on which vision wins.”
Oleksandra Matviichuk, Head of the Centre for Civil Liberties:
“Today, freedom as a phenomenon is disappearing; even in sustainable democracies, political forces with authoritarian tendencies are starting to gain strength. It is obvious that Western societies do not have a strategy for Russia. However, sustainable peace is impossible without justice, and our task is to remind the world about this with all possible methods. From this point of view, the European integration processes are really the saving frame for Ukraine; they are qualitatively formatting us and providing the vector for development and further movement. And having this chance in the midst of the permanent oppressive fear of violence is really a great luxury.”
Valerii Pekar, Teacher at Kyiv-Mohyla Business School and Lviv Business School:
“We must remember that all empires eventually die – the same is going to happen to Russia. Indeed, Russia cannot be democratic, but it can be of no threat to Ukraine, and for this purpose, it needs de-imperialization, demilitarisation, and decolonisation. What is happening now is a war of epochs: Russia is fighting for its past, while Ukraine is fighting for its future. One way or another, it is impossible to win the war for the past. This is the formula for Russian defeat”.
The School held this club meeting in the “Victory” space, together with the OPORA Civic Network and with support from the Renaissance International Foundation.
