«Evil cannot be appeased. It must be defeated and punished for the sake of a secure future of Ukraine, Europe, and the entire world» – states the open appeal by Ukrainian public figures to world leaders and the international community, signed by more than 160 influential individuals. This appeal was created with the support of the «Global Ukraine» project (a series of geopolitical seminars from the UCU Business School with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation).
On 5 January 2025, Ukrainian public figures published an open appeal to world leaders and the international community on the just end of the war and the establishment of sustainable peace. The document was signed by more than 160 people, including human rights activists, deputies, diplomats, scholars, famous artists, leaders of major business associations and various religious communities (Christian, Muslim, and Jewish), including UCU Business School professors Yaroslav Hrytsak and Valeriy Pekar, Yevhen Hlibovytskyy, Myroslav Marynovych, Valeria Kozlova, Andriy Dlihach, Yevhen Hlibovytskyy, Oksana Gudzovata, as well as CEO Yaryna Boychuk, and founding dean and vice-rector for strategic development of UCU Sofia Opatska, Natalia Klymovska, vice-rector of UCU, Taras Dobko, rector of UCU, among others.
The appeal, entitled «Do Not Appease Evil», highlights Ukraine’s perspective on Russia’s far-reaching subversive goals and outlines positive and negative scenarios of the end of the war, which depend on the position of world leaders and the international community.
«Do Not Appease Evil» presents a Ukrainian vision of Russia’s goals in this war and outlines potential scenarios for its conclusion. The authors emphasize that the outcome depends on the position of world leaders and the international community. This appeal is a reminder of the importance of decisive action for the victory of justice and peace.
Yaroslav Hrytsak, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor at the Ukrainian Catholic University, and one of the founders of the «Global Ukraine» project, shares:
«The idea of the appeal emerged in a working group that was established during the realization of the “Global Ukraine” project. A series of meetings with leading experts from China, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Russia and the USA led to the understanding that it is crucial to convey the position of the Ukrainian civil society on possible scenarios for ending the current war to Western governments. This included a strong warning about the dangers of attempting to resolve it through the appeasement of Putin.
The main ideas and structure of the document were developed at the group’s meeting in Pushcha Vodytsia near Kyiv on 14-15 December 2024 as part of the “Global Ukraine” project, and the document itself emerged from an intensive exchange of views over the two following weeks. Simultaneously, work is underway on a new appeal directed at Ukrainians, as well as on the preparation of new meetings with Western and Ukrainian experts. The ultimate goal of the group is to formulate a new development strategy, one that Ukraine is sorely lacking, and which should respond to the new challenges and opportunities of the global world.»
Valeria Kozlova, a lecturer at the UCU Business School and one of the creators of the project, shared her reflections as well:
«The full-scale Russian invasion of the territory has been ongoing for the third consecutive year. Ukrainian warriors continue to courageously and steadfastly defend our country’s borders and land. In the meantime, Ukrainian society is consolidating, and the entire world is becoming increasingly «Ukrainized.» According to historian Yaroslav Hrytsak, citizens are facing a challenge to consolidate not only between themselves, but also with the forces of the entire world, and to reverse the widespread strategy of appeasement towards the forces of evil. However, consolidation between countries is not possible without first consolidating between ourselves. The project «Global Ukraine» seminar series is a result of combining diverse lines of thinking from public figures, intellectuals, business leaders, politicians, and religious leaders. We have accomplished an incredible feat, considering how difficult it was to bring people of these calibers together, especially amidst the constant chaos of war. Active businesses and students at the UCU Business School, alongside their professors Yaroslav Hrytsak and Valeriy Pekar, have become a driving force behind this timely project «Global Ukraine» We create impact.»
Yaryna Boychuk, CEO of UCU Business School comments:
«The power of institutions lies in creating the preconditions and environment for productive and effective discussions. This open letter is one of the crucial results of the project’s work. It is very important that creators of the Sustainable Peace Manifesto also joined the project to write this letter, which makes our position and efforts consistent and further strengthens the powerful community of public leaders that has emerged over the eight months of the seminar series «Global Ukraine» project. The attention to this Appeal among the signatories, and, within two first days, in Ukraine and internationally, shows the importance of such unity and the need to find words that resonate with the majority of Ukrainians.»
On his Facebook page, one of the project’s co-founders, Valeriy Pekar, also responded to criticism that followed the publication of the appeal and expressed his opinion on it. More information can be found here.
The «Global Ukraine» project is a series of geopolitical seminars organized to systematically discuss the global context in which Ukraine is evolving in order to make improved decisions – with a focus on war, new world order and scenarios, global issues in Ukraine, and international and Ukrainian transformations. The project of the UCU Business School is being implemented with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.
Read the document in full: https://lvbs.top/bg9Q
