Society fears that all remains as it is in Ukraine after the war is over, – civic activist

Ukrainian society fears that after the war is over, the country may fail to implement the necessary democratic and economic reforms with the purpose of bringing the country closer to the Western standards.

These were the words of Valeriy Pekar, civic activist, co-founder of “New Country” civic platform at the Honorary Lecture of the Kyiv Security Forum organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Foundation “Open Ukraine”.

“Ukrainian society held no fear of military defeat from the first days of the invasion. Nevertheless, currently there is one fear permeating various social strata – namely, this is the fear that after the war everything will remain the way it was before the war,” he said.

Valeriy Pekar noted that there are four reasons why it is important to discuss post-war Ukraine right now. 

“First of all, it is the image of the future that accumulates and directs social energy. Everyone losing faith and spiritual force, and this may be the case of almost everyone now, when visualizing the picture of the future, can feel their spirits uplifter,” he said.

The second reason Mr. Pekar noted was the need to depict the future Ukraine to our partners, who will assist financing reconstruction and modernization of Ukraine.

“Third, we need to demonstrate a picture of the future to all those people who fled the country. If they do not possess an attractive picture of the future, they will not return. Moreover, they may persuade to flee those who have not yet decided to leave their country,” he stressed.

The fourth reason mentioned by the civic activist was the fact that the opportunity window will not be too spacious or lengthy.

“It is exactly why back in July 2022 over 220 public organizations signed the civil society manifesto on the principles of post-war Ukraine,” he said.

Valeriy Pekar also emphasized that the real victory of Ukraine will come true when Russia will be in no position to ever pose a threat to us.

“Otherwise, it will just mean a truce akin to the one between the first and the second Chechen wars, or, as the best case scenario, like an interval between the First and the Second World Wars,” he said.

The civic figure also noted that part of the society holds an opinion that a big moat should be dug on the border with russia and crocodiles should be released there, and let them (the russians) do what they please on the other side of this moat.

“Still, excuse me for mentioning that, but missiles fly above the crocodiles, the crocodiles cannot down or redirect missiles. And for as long as russia possesses missiles, they will fly across the moat with crocodiles,” he emphasized.

“It is insufficient to defeat russia on the battlefield, it is necessary to ensure that russia nevermore poses any threat to Ukraine, Europe or the whole world,” Valeriy Pekar summarized. 

The Kyiv Security Forum, founded by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s “Open Ukraine” Foundation, is the major platform in this country to discuss issues of war and peace, national and global security.