“When society is divided, enemies will take advantage of it. This is especially true when dealing with a country like Russia, which has a history of working to divide and destroy Ukraine. Since February 24, 2022, the Russian aggression against Ukraine has been stopped by our Armed Forces, and their initial plan to quickly conquer us has failed. When Russia couldn't defeat Ukraine in direct warfare, they resorted to influencing and manipulating certain groups within our society, causing divisions and weakening the connection between our military and the civilian population.”
Our current government, which has survived due to the actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the strong support from the public and resistance against the occupiers, should learn from its mistakes and consider others’ mistakes, too (see above). We shouldn't try to tell our military leaders how to do their job or act like we know better than the battle-hardened generals. We also shouldn't further divide our society or radicalize our military, especially since the political leadership has failed to provide everything our Armed Forces need and has lost the trust of our allies.
“Our security doesn't rely on possible negotiations with the enemy or sweet promises from hybrid friends. The true guarantee of Ukraine's existence as a nation lies in the strength of our Armed Forces and, more broadly, the Defense Forces of Ukraine.”
We must maintain the unity between our military and the civilian population while transforming our country into a powerful military force that can deter potential aggressors. As Metropolitan Andriy Sheptytskyi once wrote, "The key to transforming Ukraine lies within ourselves. We might not be able to change external circumstances easily, but we can change ourselves through our determination."
About the author. Mykhailo Honchar, expert on international energy and security relations
The editors do not always share the opinions expressed by the blog authors.