Ukrainian journalist warns of consequences as Russia expands influence in post-Soviet space

He shared this perspective during the Via Carpatia 2024 forum on Espreso TV.

“It’s important to understand that we’re not dealing with a weak, failing country that can’t do anything, that is economically declining and unable to respond militarily. We are facing one of the most powerful empires of the 18th and 20th centuries. Russia was the former geopolitical hegemon of Europe, only driven out as a result of the Cold War and the long-term decline of its economic and political strength,” Portnikov explained.

According to Portnikov, we are now entering an era of Russian decline, which could last for decades and impact more than one generation of Ukrainians. He stressed that it is still unclear whether future generations of Ukrainians will witness a Russia without imperialist ambitions, or if they will even live to see it.

"If Russia were different, Ukrainians and Poles wouldn’t be Russian colonies; instead, Russians would be colonies of Ukraine and Poland. What defines Russia is its imperial mindset, the power of Russian society, and its willingness to pay any price to enslave other peoples and destroy their languages and cultures. This is especially evident in the close connection between the government and society. If we truly understand this, we'll know where to strike. The Russians themselves have always recognized this. They have a folk tale about Koshchei the Immortal, and all they need to do is find his death, find that needle. Instead, we're just making TV appeals. That won't work" the journalist said.

The journalist stressed that Russia's main goal has always been, and still is, to expand its influence over post-Soviet countries, which would ultimately strengthen its position throughout Central Europe.

"We all need to recognize the scale of the challenge, understand the timing, and consider what the poets of the past wrote about Russia. We need to prepare ourselves for a long-term struggle. Only then will works like Mickiewicz's Dziady and Shevchenko's Caucasus guide us in this fight and help us preserve our sovereignty and our future. And this is not just about Ukraine. If Russia succeeds in extending its influence over the post-Soviet space, it will undoubtedly become the dominant power in Central Europe. And we won’t just see a different Ukraine - we may never see Ukraine as we know it. We will see a different Poland, we're already witnessing a different Hungary and Slovakia, and soon, we'll see a different Czech Republic and Romania. In fact, what we saw before the 1990s will happen all over again. This is what Russia wants, and this is what they’re fighting for," Portnikov added.

• On November 13, as part of the Seventh International Forum of Central and Eastern Europe Via Carpatia 2024, the Ukrainian-Polish Meeting conference began. Scholars, parliamentarians, government officials, and artists from Poland arrived in Kyiv, led by the head of the Polish-Ukrainian parliamentary group, Marcin Bosacki.
• The panel Rebuilding Ukraine: Directions of Cooperation between Ukraine and Poland, Project Implementation also included participants Marcin Bosacki, Member of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, Roman Waschuk, Business Ombudsman, Jacek Karnowski, Member of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, State Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Regional Policy.