Ukraine has become an example of global resistance to authoritarianism and the “conscience of the world,” while the key battle of modern times is the struggle for truth and information integrity. This was stated by Philippine journalist and 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa during the 18th annual Kyiv Security Forum, themed “Darkness or Dawn: Is Light Ahead?”
According to her, the events in Ukraine have a global dimension, and Russia’s war against Ukraine is part of a broader confrontation that spans both physical and information spaces.
Ressa noted that the world is experiencing a decline of democracy and that an “unnatural alliance” is currently forming between traditional authoritarian regimes, kleptocrats, and tech oligarchs who control the information space.
“Without facts, there is no truth. Without truth, there is no trust. Without these, we have no shared reality... democracy dies,” she emphasized.
The journalist emphasized that the information sphere has become a full-scale battlefield and that the situation could worsen with the development of new technologies, particularly chatbots, which amplify manipulation.
At the same time, Ressa emphasized that Ukraine specifically demonstrates an example of how technology can be used to protect democracy. She noted the role of Ukrainian engineers, programmers, journalists, and volunteers who use drones, open data, and digital tools to counter aggression.
Ressa specifically highlighted the work of Ukrainian journalists who, in her words, are “redefining journalism under fire” by creating media that are “simultaneously patriotic and independent.”
She also emphasized that the world is only beginning to develop mechanisms to counter new challenges, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, but this process has become possible largely thanks to Ukraine’s experience.
Summarizing, Ressa emphasized that despite the difficult situation, “there is light ahead,” and it manifests specifically in the resilience of Ukrainians: “You are a nation that was told it would fall in three days, yet you have stood for over four years... You have become the conscience of the world.”
“Your struggle is our struggle. We are with you,” she concluded.
The Kyiv Security Forum (KSF) is an annual international event launched in 2007 upon the initiative of Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s “Open Ukraine” Foundation. This year, it is taking place on April 23-24.
Ukraine, Kyiv, 01001
