Viktor Yuschchenko

Viktor Yushchenko was born in 1954. President of Ukraine from 2005 to 2010. In 1999-2001, he served as Prime Minister of Ukraine. In 1993-1999 he was Chairman of the National Bank of Ukraine. From 2005 to 2013 he was head of the party “Our Ukraine”.

Let’s be honest, what is the history of this conflict? Read the story, Ukrainians never fought with Ukrainians. This is not an internal conflict of Ukraine. We are in a war of Russia against Ukraine with KGB-specific methods by saboteurs and terrorists.
When we talk about how to support the peace process, we need to develop an effective plan. Only in this case, forcing the aggressor to peace will have an effect.
The first principle – Ukrainian territorial integrity. Ukraine will not exist without Crimea, Donetsk; we will remain a united country. Second, for our European friends: under the threat to our territorial integrity, we protect the fundamental principle on which Europe is founded on over 60 years – namely, the inviolability of frontiers, allowing Europe for many decades to live in peace.
No one country can cope itself and independently with the onslaught, which comes from Russia. Neither Britain nor Austria, Spain, Italy – no one can cope with it. And Ukraine is not an exception; but all together, if we combine the positions, if we have a single plan for how to resolve this problem – which is not a Ukrainian problem, but a European problem – then we can immediately achieve victory.
Look at the Russian borders, it is all littered with frozen conflicts. What do we need to do that Crimea and Donbas will not turn into another frozen conflict? Remember how previous frozen conflicts were created, and do not repeat it. How did the conflict in Transnistria evolve? Same thing in Nagorno-Karabakh or in Ossetia or Abkhazia. It is the same handwriting – it all starts with good intentions, namely the ceasefire, the holy of holies. Of course! The second step is the holding of local elections. The third step, the legitimization of the bandits. The fourth step, obtaining special status, forming an enclave of a puppet regime. And in the end it turns to be a classic frozen conflict. Let’s not repeat it. It is within our power. We all talk about peace, no one wants war. But the road that led to peace in Nagorno-Karabakh, Ossetia, or Transnistria, for goodness sake, must not turn out to lead us to a long war, yet cold.
Power lowers its hands. But we understand that we, the Ukrainians, have to protect Ukrainian land. And this mobilization, the patriotic spirit that formed on the Maidan – millions of people were seized by this spirit. People are willing to fight to defend their country. And those voluntary military associations went on military action without the support of the regular Ukrainian army. I think that the Ukrainian government understands this well, and it will give an adequate response. I hope so.