The Soft Power of Long-Term Decisions: How to Foster Lasting Change
War fosters a reactive approach to solving problems. But for strategic victory, that alone is not enough. To endure, it is essential to think about the future — to build ourselves, our communities, and the country through long-term decisions.
The Ukrainian Action Forum took place in Ivano-Frankivsk for the second time. It was organised by the Aspen Institute Kyiv and Promprylad. Co-organisers included the Blago company and Yehor Hrebennikov. As part of the Forum, a panel discussion titled “The Soft Power of Long-Term Decisions” was held. Yuliya Tychkivska, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Kyiv, moderated the conversation.
The speakers discussed the influence of long-term decisions on shaping identity, the importance of restoring trust in the state, the development of culture, and the transformation of society.
Maturity, patience, and humility — the foundation of long-term change
Oksana Syroid, lecturer, lawyer, and staff sergeant of the 13th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine “Khartiya”, believes that a long-term decision is a qualitative shift, not just an improvement of what exists today.
Ms. Oksana named three internal qualities without which long-term engagement is impossible: maturity, patience, and humility. Maturity is the understanding that meaningful change does not happen instantly. Patience is the ability to endure a long journey while preserving belief in its value. Humility is the acceptance that others will not always synchronise with you. After all, “a leader is not the one who arrives first, but the one who brings the last person along.”
She added that long-term decisions require active participation: if you just sit and wait, change may never come. That is why we must take responsibility and bring that future closer ourselves.
In addition, Ms. Oksana pointed out the barriers that stand in the way of long-term decisions:
“We often associate barriers with the state, authorities, or bureaucracy, but in reality, they lie within us. Our expectation of quick fixes is the main obstacle to long-term change.”
The synergy of complex decisions and broad outreach
Oleksii Erinchak, founder of the “Sense” bookstore, also believes that in any endeavour, it’s important not to expect immediate results. We are forming not just an outcome but the infrastructure — a direction. And if that direction is compelling and gives people hope, they will follow it.
Drawing on his marketing experience, Oleksii added that it is essential to create plenty of “traffic” around that direction:
“Traffic means people who are engaged with the project or at least know about it. With enough people, it’s much easier to track whether we are moving in the right direction.”
In his view, the ideal approach combines long-term, complex decisions — which may not yield results immediately — with broad reach. When implementing a project, it is important to discuss and monitor how the market, society, and the state receive it. This allows for timely adjustments without changing the bigger picture.
Leaving a legacy — motivation for long-term work
Adam Kharlampovych, founder of the civic platform “Algorithm of Action” and an entrepreneur from Lutsk, offered his key to understanding long-term decisions.
“If you strip away status, wealth, everything you own — what will remain after you? To understand that better, you need to explore your lineage, your DNA, and the place where you live. By finding cases from the past, you can project the future.”
Adam added that in this context, it’s also crucial to explore how legacy is passed down in stable states and societies. What remains after us can be a powerful motivator for our teams.
Horizon and step: balancing the long-term and the present
Andriy Zelinskyi, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Ukrainian Veterans’ Foundation at the Ministry for Veterans Affairs, UGCC chaplain, political scientist, and writer, presented another dimension of the topic.
According to him, when discussing long-term decisions, it is important to remember that each step is just as meaningful as the horizon.
“The primary function of the psyche is to simplify reality to a scale we can digest. That’s a trap. In creating something, we are also creating ourselves. Any actions we produce change us as well. Long-term decisions are complex, but they also require attention to each step, because the journey toward the horizon changes us.”
He added that the future does not exist separately from the present; it is simply the outcome of today’s actions.
“The time we have now is ours — it’s all we’ve got. It’s time to grow stronger and consider what we can carry from this step into the next. So that in the end, something meaningful remains after us.”
Long-term decisions: directions for change
The speakers also addressed several areas of focus that, if prioritised now, could lead to major shifts in the future.
Oksana Syroid emphasised the need to take ownership of the state and support it.
“In our society, there’s still a divide: the country is the people, while the state is seen as a hostile set of institutions. But if we reflect, we survived the hardest moments thanks to those very institutions. So, a long-term decision is learning to love the state. It must become a value in itself.”
Andriy Zelinskyi believes that from a strategic perspective, investing in education and the military is crucial. First and foremost, to help Ukrainians reclaim their sense of self:
“The Ukrainians of tomorrow are sitting in trenches and school desks today. So, beyond their obvious functions, both the military and schools must teach Ukrainians how to be masters of their freedom.”
Oleksii Erinchak stressed the importance of investing in the development of Ukrainian identity. For this, there must be a balance between state involvement and private initiatives, with clearly defined roles:
“To nurture Ukrainian identity, the state must step back from certain areas, while in others, it should focus on promoting the truth. What’s our job? To grow Ukrainianness. For me, this is priority number one.”
Adam Kharlampovych also spoke about cultural development and emphasised the potential of local initiatives:
“Any city of the future must have creative hubs — more high-quality venues and high-quality events in those spaces. We live in the age of the creative economy, and the most valuable currency today is attention. Capital follows.”
