Aspen Institute France: the third #UkrainianDialogue on how the Russian-Ukrainian war affected the rest of the World

Aspen Institute Kyiv together with its international partners created a platform #UkraineDialogues for for mutual communication between Ukrainians who are fighting everyday for approaching Ukraine’s victory supporting countries’ representatives. On April 15 together with Aspen Institute France the third Dialogue was held. The event was moderated by  Jean-Christophe Bas, Founder and CEO of The Global Compass, member of the executive board of the Aspen Institute France. 

Olga Stefanishyna: “Now we all are the ministers in charge of the victory of Ukraine”

Olga Stefanishyna is Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine. She stressed that  large-scale consequences of the Russian-Ukraine war will cover national economies around the world. That’s why no fly zone should be ensured at least over the Black Sea to make sure that Ukraine can restore the shipment of the goods around the world. 

 — If the world leaders are not willing to make decisions to protect the Ukrainian people around our territory, they at least should protect their people, their nations, and the nations they are advocating for. Ukrainian shipment of the goods is blocked now and affects not just the Ukrainian economy. 1/5 of the world’s population will suffer from the lack of food. That’s why a no-fly zone should be ensured at least over the Black sea to make sure that we can restore the shipment.

Olha said that now all Ukrainians are the ministers in charge of the victory of Ukraine and they do whatever is needed to make sure that this day will come as soon as possible.

Yegor Chernev: “My first, second and third points — we need weapons”

Yegor Chernev is the Chairperson of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. He has no doubt that the final goal of the Russian Federation is just to destroy Ukraine, occupy it and move forward. If Ukraine falls, the next would be Baltic states or Poland.  Yegor is sure that Ukrainians have enough will and motivation to fight, but also a substantial shortage of weapons. 

— My first, second and third points — we need weapons. Weapons from all over the world. We use a lot of Soviet era weapons and there is a shortage of artillery ammunition for this weapon. Some countries of the former Warsaw pact especially have this ammunition. We need it for yesterday. 

Natalie Jaresko: “To end the war” means to help Ukraine prevail in it with incredible sanction urgency”

Natalie Jaresko is a Chairperson of Aspen Institute Kyiv Supervisory Board and a Minister of Finance of Ukraine (2014-2016). As well as Olga Stefanishyna, she highlighted the highest urgency of global response. The global economy is already facing the consequences of this war and each day this war continues, the cost to the rest of the world is much greater than the cost of helping Ukraine today. 

— People have forgotten over time the incredibly important role Ukraine plays in a global economy. And when we talk about a 50 % decline in the Ukrainian economy – what does that mean for the rest of the world? That means we already feel the fuel supply challenges, the food insecurity, problems with the supply chain. People focus on only agriculture and gas but there is much more. 

Natalie underlined that “to end the war” means to help Ukraine prevail in it with incredible sanction urgency.

We are grateful to Aspen Institute France and their community for the sincere dialogue!