We Cannot Afford Pessimism - It’s a Luxury

Instead of a biography, I have two phrases  on my Facebook profile that I consider guideposts: “We cannot afford pessimism – it’s a luxury” and “When strength runs out,  character begins.” I believe we will still demonstrate our Ukrainian  character.

On Western countries that refused to accept reality

At the beginning of the war, a significant part of Ukrainian society  shut itself off from reality and did not accept it. Western countries,  to which we appeal, explaining that if we don’t stop Putin in Ukraine, he will continue, are behaving in the same way now. This is childish behavior. It  didn’t work for us, and it won’t work for them.

On Russian crimes

Russians believe they can do whatever they want. They have  committed war crimes in Chechnya, Moldova, Georgia, Mali,  Syria, Libya, and have never been punished. When I’m asked why  Russians shot people on the streets from tanks, why they killed  children’s writer Volodymyr Vakulenko in Kharkiv Oblast, why they  shot conductor Yuriy Karpatenko in Kherson, I always answer,  “Because they could, because that’s their culture.”

On aid to Ukraine

There is a big difference between the goal “let’s help Ukraine not  to lose” and the goal “let’s help Ukraine to win.” The difference  between them is measured in the types of weapons we receive, in  the seriousness of the sanctions imposed, in the speed of decisions. I tell our international partners directly, “Until there is a  common goal – to help Ukraine win – we cannot have a common  strategy.” 

On Ukraine’s tasks

Not only to drive Russian troops out of the country. Our task is  more complex – to demonstrate democratic success, to build a  society where the rights of every person are protected, where  power is accountable and controllable, where courts are  independent and dispense justice.