"Do Not Appease Evil": Ukrainian activists write open letter to world leaders

The letter was published on EU Today.

On January 5, Ukrainian public figures released an open appeal to world leaders and the international community. The document, signed by more than 160 people, includes human rights activists, MPs, diplomats, scientists, renowned artists, leaders of major business associations, and representatives of various religious communities.

In their letter, titled "Do Not Appease Evil," they outlined both positive and negative scenarios for ending the war, emphasizing how these outcomes depend on the stance of world leaders and the international community.

"Above all, we would like to emphasize that acquiring additional territories is not Russia’s primary objective in this war. It already has vast undeveloped territories, and when it seizes a new land, this land is systematically neglected. Similarly, the objective is not merely to bring Ukraine back under its control. This is only one of the intermediate goals. Russia’s ultimate aim is to break the current world order. It seeks to regain its status of a superpower that acts arbitrarily and, by the right of the stronger, attacks neighbors, interferes in the affairs of other countries, commits terrorist acts, supports authoritarian regimes and illegally armed groups around the world," the letter states.

The activists argue that Ukraine's democratic vision and Russia's authoritarian-imperial ambitions are fundamentally incompatible.

"For Russia, such a freeze would primarily signal the weakness of the West and encourage further aggression and wars that spill the blood of Europeans and Americans. Sustainable peace will come only when, under the combined pressure of Ukraine and its allies, Russia faces a systemic crisis and the defeat of Putin’s regime. As proven by history, tyrannies are fragile," the signatories explained.

They warn that if global leaders pressure Ukraine into making territorial or sovereignty concessions without offering effective security guarantees, it will amount to Ukraine's defeat. Such an outcome would embolden China and other revisionist powers to take what they want.

"North Korean troops will appear in different hot spots. Piracy, blocking of trade routes, attacks on information systems and global communications will sabotage global trade. Longstanding efforts to limit the spread of nuclear weapons will be reduced to naught," the letter adds.

The letter concludes that Russia's defeat in the war against Ukraine will restore global order, as terrorist regimes and organizations worldwide will lose Russian support and face significant weakening.