1) In this brief interview, I would like to discuss with you the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, which involves and
disconcerts the whole international community. I would like you to share your significant opinion with
other young students in order to let them understand better the situation and also contribute in creating
a cultural linkage for a common sense of friendship and belonging between our countries. The civil
society, in my very personal opinion, should concur to promote such a relationship process, within
students, workers and world citizens. Thus, I would like to ask you: why did Ukrainian people choose to
come closer to Europe? Why did they opted to withdraw their agreements with Russia?
There are several reasons to come near to the European Union. First of all, Ukraine belongs to the European
civilization. If you see into the history of the development of Ukraine, it has always linked with Europe: from the very
beginning through all centuries, the Ukrainian representatives and the king families were linked with many families in
Europe, in France, in Poland and in other countries. Historically, Ukraine belongs to Europe.
Second reason. There are some political, economic, social and cultural development systems in the world: the western,
the Asian, the Russian etc.. Ukraine decided to choose the European way of life for its country. What does it mean? It
means that we would like to combat corruption and to build a society based on liberal economy, rule of law, democracy
and human rights. Thus, we would like to be a part of the educational European process and it means that Ukrainian
universities, Ukrainian young people will have the possibility to exchange with European students (Erasmus program
etc.). That is why Ukrainian people wish to realize this chance and to be an integral part of the European process.
2) In several regions of Ukraine there are secessionist movements. Regarding the situation in Crimea, there
were signs saying “Putin is our president” and Russia menaced a military intervention, followed by
troops invasions of the peninsula. A referendum has taken place and 95% of voters opted in favor of
separation from Ukraine. Is this secession legal? What are the main reasons that influenced so many
people to prefer Moscow to Kiev? What has been the pressures from Russian government?
This is a very complicated issue and to explain it I have to consider the history of Ukrainian and Russian relations and
the existence of one country, named “the Soviet Union”. First of all, I would like to focus my attention to the
referendum, which is recognized by the President Putin, not by the international community. It is a very tricky thing. It
was impossible to organize this referendum in Ukraine because its legislation prohibits this kind of referendum. Russia
induced to organize this referendum on Ukrainian territory, it immediately recognized this referendum and it took
Crimea as a part of Russian new liberal empire.
It is true that in Crimea there are some people that chose or have chosen Putin as a president . Why? The indigenous
people, tartars, Ukrainian, Bulgarian etc. were expelled from Crimea by the Stalin regime and spread to some regions
of Russia such as Uzbekistan, at that time in the Soviet Union. At the same time, Russians came to Crimea and this is
why more than 50 % of the population who live in Crimea right now are ethnic Russian, 20 % are Ukrainians and only
15 % are tartars. In fact, only 20 years ago, with the independence of Ukraine, the Ukrainian government started a
program to return indigenous people to their places and at this moment only 1/3 of these people came back in Crimea.
People who have chosen Putin as a president want to come back not to Russia but to the Soviet Union, where they were
living for many years and where they probably feel happy. Nevertheless, they will not come back to the Soviet Union
but to Russia with all Russian system of life, prohibition of manifestation etc.
Finally, I would like to mention and to underline that only 34 % of the whole population took part to the referendum.
They do not represent the whole opinion of the people of Crimea. Tartars refused to participate completely and not all
ethnic Russian people took part. That is why we have this situation, the Russian occupation of this territory with
military troops etc..
3) Concerning Crimea, president Barack Obama, has declared: “we will isolate Moscow”. Chancellor
Angela Merkel has said: “Putin is out of reality”. A G8 without Russia took place for the Ukrainian
situation. How is the international community behaving to face this crisis? How do you think it should
be solved? Is it possible that other attacks will occur against Ukrainian territorial integrity?
I think that Russia didn’t expect such strong intervention, participation and actions by the international community,
including USA, UE and some other countries like Germany and the United Kingdom. It means that what they are doing
is the right way to find a solution for this crisis. Of course, we are working with USA and UE to ensure Ukrainian
security because once, twenty years ago, we received several guarantees from USA, UK, Russia China and France, all
the nuclear powers, for the Ukrainian security: it would be under their responsibility because Ukraine withdraw nuclear
weapons.
What’s happen now? There is a very dangerous development because the international legal system is now under attack.
That means that we have to find a new tool, a new mechanism or instrument to guarantee the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of counties like Ukraine which does not want to develop their nuclear potential. This is a task not
only for Ukraine but for the whole international community, because all of us wants to live in a more secure word. This
crisis showed that there is a lack in the system and we have to find an appropriate solution.
As an Ukrainian citizens, I have a double feeling. In one hand, I wish to have more and more actions from the
international community. On the other hand, I expect more assistance to the Ukraine. Why? If Ukraine demonstrates
European development in its country with good economic and social indicators, with the possibility of visa free
travelling regime, youth, scientists, and cultural exchange, Crimean and Russian people would see the advantages of a
peaceful development of the country and maybe we will see in the coming years a different Russia, more democratic,
more oriented to people and not military constructed.
4) Thanking you for your very kind availability, I would like to conclude this interview asking: what are, in
this situation, the real needs of Ukrainian people?
There are different kinds of these needs. For example, the economic development. We have economic difficulties
because we didn’t realized economic reforms during the last 20 years. We did something but not very profound reforms.
Why we need these reforms? Because Ukraine had lived for 70 years under the role of socialism in the Soviet Union.
Can you imagine that 22 years ago in my country we didn’t have the private propriety? Nothing: no land, no enterprises:
everything belong to the State. That is why we have not only to adopt this law but to introduce and implement the
European system. Now is the moment to decide finally if we want to follow the European track, the European way to
develop the economy, or if we want to come back to the old style and old fashioned soviet system. That is why we need
financial assistance and for this proposes there is a decision of the EU to give to Ukraine 11 billion euro. Not a gift, not
an assistance, but a special package for reforms which will be received under the programs of the European Bank of
Reconstruction and Developments, the European Investment Bank, the European Commission and other financial
institutions. For example, the energy efficiency issue. In Ukraine, to supply buildings with hot water, or to hit them
during the winter (in some part of Ukraine there are 15-20 degrees under the zero), according to some estimations, we
are losing 35-40 per cent of this energy capacity because of the old styled energy system. In Europe, to produce a good
you spend two times less energy than in Ukraine. That is why we need to build new industrial facilities, new kind of
kilns etc. Judicial and democratic reforms are also fundamental in order to achieve, for example, independent and fair
courts. You cannot build this system in one day or in one year. That is why we are working with the Council of Europe
and the EU. All of these reforms are possible but difficult: we need a strong education system and we have to fight
against corruption.
Another important aspect is security. It is very simple to Ukraine to mention that it is the number three in the world
according to nuclear potential of weapons, rockets and missiles. Although we withdrew and destroyed all nuclear parts
of these missiles, we can come back and restart a nuclear program. But this is very irresponsible to do because the
international community is combating now to reduce the nuclear threats and potentials. Ukraine will not restart this
program and we would like to cooperate to do together a new system of guarantees with multilateral agreement, NATO
membership and other organizations relationship: there are many options. We are opened and we would like to discuss
to define and then to realize these agreements because we don’t want to be threatened one more time by Russia or other
countries. This are our urgent needs and our agenda for the next years.