When Russia understands: Ukraine won. How the war will end and why the Russian Federation will not help the cold winter in Europe - interview with Anne Epplbaum

Today, the Epplbaum at the most influential sites of the world is already about the present, what means to be Ukraine and fight against Russia in the 21st century. The video of the day in September, she visited Kyiv at the invitation of the 17th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES), which took place in Kiev on September 9-10 with the support of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation and answered questions from HB.

- In your opinion, how much EU people feel and understand the present war, how it is clear to them that this war in Ukraine can become the same factor in the dramatic changes in their private life as the Second World War? - I think that Europeans have very different feelings about this war, just as Ukrainians are probably.

Over time, they come to a deeper understanding of this war, to understand that it is a colonial war that threatens not only Ukraine, but also Poland, the Baltic States, and maybe even Germany and other EU countries.

Therefore, when winter becomes colder and gas prices are growing, we will hear European voices against war, but now, I think, everyone understands arguments in continuing the War of Ukraine, supporting them, and exactly the leaders of key countries in Europe understand their own leadership and risks In this war. - However, Russia hopes that winter and the cost of war will make Europeans demand a truce in Ukraine. - I think it is a false strategy.

On the one hand, Europeans understand the geopolitical risks of war and why it is important to defeat Russia here and now. Although, I think it is a mistake [the Russian rate for the winter], because the main and most serious source of weapons for Ukraine is not the country of Europe, but the United States, but the US do not suffer from the lack of Russian gas, indirectly increasing gas prices for them It affects, but everything.

I do not see anyone in Washington change their opinion on events in Ukraine and the US strategy to help Ukraine in this war, even if Republicans win the future elections. I still don't see this threat now. - The war in Ukraine finally designed it on the world map for a huge number of people in Europe, America and other continents.

What pages of Ukrainian history, what knowledge of Ukraine is it important to convey today? What will help people unfamiliar with Ukraine better understand it? - It is true that before this war began, people knew nothing about Ukraine. If they learned something about her, then most likely it happened after February 24. I wrote a book about Ukraine, about its history, it covered the Soviet period of Ukraine, a great famine, I presented it in 2017.

Most of those who read it told me: we have never heard this story (the famine) before. Today, I think, people understand Ukraine much better, but I think it is important for Ukrainians to ask how much they know about the history of Portugal, the history of Finland or Corsica. Europe is a great continent, and very often we are selfishly concentrated on ourselves. But, I believe that the more people will understand the history of Ukraine, the more empathy and compassion for Ukraine will increase.

You are not in the worst place in this ranking of sympathy. Ukraine's understanding is also influenced by the broad presence of Ukrainians who have been forced to go to Europe. Many people live in one house with Ukrainians. For example, Ukrainian refugees also live in our house in Poland since March. And if you do not live Ukrainians, you still helped them or help them with clothes, money, something, encountered Ukrainians and their stories.