Hello everyone. So pleasured, and I am really honored to address your forum. You know frankly I didn’t expect that we are to discuss the one of the biggest; actually, this is the biggest war after the Second World War in Ukraine, but it happened. Whether I expected that Russia is to invade Ukraine? Yes I do, but whether I expected that Russia will commit this kind of atrocities and despicable crime in Ukraine? Frankly, no. Because, you know, you can’t have it in your mind; you can’t believe that this could happen in the 21st century. But I believe that we need to diagnose what really happened, and to find the root causes, and to find how to actually rebuild Ukraine, and how to make Ukraine stronger and how to save the free world. So why it happened? The only explanation I have is an absolute ideology of President Putin to restore the Russian empire or even the Soviet empire, an ugly copy of the Soviet empire. You know what happened with Russia and actually with Vladimir Putin, at the heart of this new ideology, which is nuanced? Russia. This is a copycat of Nazi ideology, but Putin already launched this ideology, and this is the bedrock of his ideology and of his country that he imagines. So what Putin wants to achieve? No doubt that he wants to take over the entire Ukraine. This was his goal in 2004, in 2014, and 2022. He never reached this goal, and he will never reach this goal, but his ultimate goal was to take over Kiev, to take over Ukraine. He failed. What kind of next goals he has already? Actually, Putin wants next Belarus. He wants to exert a special influence over Kazakhstan, and if he wants, Putin he will move further in order to conquer both Georgia and Moldova and to pose a threat to the entire NATO, including Baltic states. So, he wants the collapse of NATO, and he wants to see the decline of the United States and of the free world. Who is responsible for this kind of war and the atrocities? One can name only Putin. No doubt that Putin is a Nazi style leader, and he personally ordered this kind of aggression against the sovereign Ukraine, but Putin is not the only one. His military, his soldiers, these Russian soldiers that committed crimes against humanity, that committed war crimes, they tortured, raped, killed, kidnapped. So Putin, his cronies, his military, his soldiers, and I want to be very clear even the Russian people, because an overwhelming majority of Russian people support military aggression against Ukraine. Could you just imagine that around 70 percent of Russians, they actually underpin and back Putin’s atrocities against civilians in Ukraine?
Is there any kind of failures on our side? I would say yes. There are, and let me put it blunt, the diplomacy policies of the last two decades actually paved the way for Putin to invade Georgia, to commit war crimes in Syria, to illegally annex Crimea and to invade Ukraine. All this idea how to deter Russia with a new tool of economic and energy integration with the European union, they failed, and we actually neglected the threats that Putin was very vocal about, in for example during Munich Security Conference, when he said about the Soviet Union, and he was very open, actually saying that he wants to restore the Soviet Union. What kind of goals do we have right now? I mean we as the free world and we as Ukrainians, the most important goal and the crucial one is to save Ukraine and to save Ukrainians. Could you imagine that we already have around 12 million of those who fled the country and internally displaced persons? It is two times the population of Massachusetts. Could you imagine that they are killing innocent people, innocent Ukrainians kids? What is happening right now on the ground is just unbelievable, unimaginable, so the biggest priority and the most important task is to save Ukraine and to restore charitable integrity of the Ukrainian state. The next priority we have on the table is actually to defend the freedoms in the world and to protect NATO countries, to protect every single EU member state, and to protect every single countryman of the free world, where we are right now.
Ukrainians are fighting like hell. This this is a relentless fight, courageous fight, and the entire world commend men and women in the uniform, those Ukrainians who are fighting and who are actually much stronger than the Russian military. Putin didn’t expect this kind of unity among the Western worlds. The United States already marshaled a kind of strong anti-Putin alliance. It’s similar to anti-Hitler alliance, so we have already an anti-Putin coalition. NATO became stronger and is likely to expand. What we see, we see that Russian military is much weaker than expected. It is completely corrupted, and what we see at the battlefield is that the Ukrainian military, even despite being outnumbered, having less armored vehicles, less heavy weaponry, is stronger. There are some kind of minor territorial gains made by the Russian military, but what is needed, a large-scale counter-offensive of Ukrainian military in order to take back the territories that have been seized by Russia. What needs to be done, no doubt you are well aware of the action plan, that is needed for Ukraine, the most important issue is weaponry, both defensive and offensive heavy weaponry. And once again I command the United States, every single EU membrane state, Baltic states, Czech Republic, everyone, United Kingdom, in the strong and staunch support of Ukrainian people. Sanctions, those are preliminary and secondary sanctions, and we expect that the secondary sanctions will be imposed, and the current sanctions will be registered. We have very plenty of deliberations over the energy embargo. Yeah, I know that some folks project a huge GDP decline, for example in Germany due to energy embargo. Maybe this is to happen in the short run, but in the long run Europe has to realize that you need to get off the Russian energy hook because energy is no longer energy in Russia. This is the weapon and we realized this in 2014, and I was the prime minister who decided to get rid of dependence on the Russian gas problem, and we actually reached the goal. What is needed for Ukraine now, a large-scale financial support. I will give you the numbers. Could you imagine that we are to have around 70 billion US dollars of the budget deficit till the end of this year, so we are running a huge budget deficit, and as for now in order to survive financially and economically, Ukraine needs to get a very strong financial support from the free world. The data shows that we already received around 5.2 billion US dollars, but the problem is that only 221 million out of this 5.2 billion dollars are in grants. The rest are the loans that have to be repaid. Ukraine is in a very dire financial situation, so we are not ready to repay this debt in the short run and in the medium run.
In order to offset and to compensate all these losses, I believe that the world has to realize that we need to craft a new global order, a new global order which allows the world to seize and to liquidate Russian assets, an overall amount of Russian assets that have been frozen by the wealthy is about one trillion dollars, so we urgently need to pass the legislation which is needed in the United States, in EU member states, in the United Kingdom, all around the world, in Switzerland, in order both to seize and to liquidate these Russian assets and to send them to Ukraine in order to rebuild Ukraine. The second very important issue is how to bring to justice those responsible, the current legal system of international criminal court and the international court of justice which is in place is not really effective. So what is needed is a new kind of legal process against Putin, and this is to be one of the primary targets of the free world. This is completely unacceptable to have the P5 member which is Russia that commits atrocities and crimes against humanity in the United Nations, and the UN has urgently to advance itself, to revamp itself, in order to save the global peace and order. And the most important, I would tell you that I believe that Ukraine is to win and to prevail. I am strongly confident, and we will build new Ukraine stronger, Ukraine which is the member of the European Union and NATO, Ukraine with the vibrant democracy, Ukraine with the liberal and effective economic system, Ukraine with no corruption, Ukraine which is a strong member of the free world.
Once again, thank you for a chance to address you, and I want to commend and to tell thank you to every single country that supports Ukraine. This is our joint fight, and we’re going to win this fight. Thank you.
Dear Governor Dukakis, prof. Patterson, dear Ambassador Markarova, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Boston Global Forum made the right choice to award the 2022 World Leader for Peace and Security Prize to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The people of Ukraine, under the leadership of President Zelenskyy, are fighting not only for their own land, but also on our behalf. The outcome of this war, which Russia has provoked, will have global consequences. I use the analogy of history as a volcano that erupts. Now is a moment when the lava is flowing and still hot. That is why every action and inaction in these weeks and months will shape the future landscape of Europe and beyond for many decades to come. That is why we have to get it right, we have to help Ukraine win this war and remain on the map of Europe.
Latvia is not surprised at the strength of Ukrainian resistance. Ukraine knows, we know what it means to live under Russian rule. Never again will we be wiped off the map of Europe!
There are short, medium un long-term tasks in order to help Ukraine.
The immediate is maximum possible support in military equipment. Latvia has already given equipment equal to one third of our defence budget since the war began. Here I commend the fullhearted support by the US under the leadership of President Biden.
The humanitarian crisis inside Ukraine and outside, given the numbers of refugees, is the greatest Europe has seen since World War II. The human losses and tragedies that Ukraine has experienced will be felt for decades to come. The least we can do is give refuge while homes and lives are rebuilt.
Sanctions against Russia need to be effective, wide-ranging and convincing! For far too long and too heavily Western countries have relied on Russian gas and oil. This is the moment to change our consumption patterns and switch to sustainable energy technologies.
A particular focus for me is support for Ukraine’s claims in the ICJ and the ICC. I also believe a special tribunal should be created, such as for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Those perpetrating war crimes – from Putin at the top to every individual so-to-say just fulfilling orders, will be held accountable, sooner of later. Evidence is being gathered from refugees in Latvia that will one day be useful in an international tribunal.
Ukraine will have massive rebuilding needs once the war ends, but even now it needs financial help to cover essential expenditures. We anticipate a new kind of Marshall plan for Ukraine. Within the EU there is widespread support that Ukraine should be granted EU candidate country status and its application fast-tracked.
Various other platforms can be used to extend a helping hand, including the Three Seas Initiative, which Latvia is currently chairing, and where the US is a long-standing partner, with bipartisan support. The infrastructure needs of Ukraine will be immense, we can look for ways to build better digital, transport and energy connections between Ukraine and the EU.
When meeting with President Zelenskyy in Kyiv on 13 April, the Presidents of the three Baltic states and Poland were there in solidarity with Ukraine, but behind this show of solidarity is also serious practical help for Ukraine. Our region, in turn, feels that kind of solid support from the US – President Biden and Vice-President Harris have several times met with us and reassured us that Article 5 of the NATO is ‘sacrosanct’. We have always advocated stronger Transatlantic links and now we truly feel the bond. Just like 100 years ago, when the US recognized the newly independent Baltic states de iure.
Now is the time to recognize our shared responsibility for saving Ukraine from Russia, and hopefully one day saving Russia from itself. Now is the time to give immediate help to Ukraine, to focus on our long-term sustainable energy needs, to build resilience against disinformation and defend media freedom, to know and understand the history of the past and of the history that is being made right now.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for the opportunity to address you on this very special occasion. I was very honored last year when I received the World Leader for Peace and Security Award from the Boston Global Forum, and it is a great honor to come back to say a few words at this year’s award ceremony as the speaker of the Swedish parliament, the Riksdag. I have joined so many others and condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The Riksdag has manifested strong support for Ukraine, expressed through unique decisions to send supplies including weapons. The people of Ukraine have a right to defend themselves against this brutal aggression, and we have a moral obligation to support them in that struggle. Russia’s acts are not only an attack on freedom and democracy but also on the European and global security order. Often, we like to look for nuances. We prefer not to see things purely in black or white, good or evil. Today, however, this is not possible. There is no justification for Russia’s vicious war against Ukraine and the suffering it is inflicting on the Ukrainian people in this appalling situation. We have witnessed great bravery from the people of Ukraine. We have also seen admirable leadership from many, in particular the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has been a true leader at this most pivotal of times. His extraordinary courage and leadership have been crucial to the Ukrainian war effort, and he has worked tirelessly also to bring the world’s attention to the atrocities committed by the Russian forces. I therefore strongly support the decision of the Boston Global Forum board to honor President Zelenskyy and all the Ukrainian people as 2022 world leader for peace and security. I cannot imagine a more worthy recipient of this award. We stand with President Zelenskyy and Ukraine in this struggle, because freedom matters, peace matters, Ukraine matters. Thank you
Dear Governor Dukakis, dear President Levits, dear Speaker Norlen, and all the distinguished guests. I’m so honored and happy to be here today, and to address to the Boston Global Forum. For 65 days, you see how Ukraine is defending itself from a brutal enemy. For 65 days Ukraine fights for our houses, for our homes, for our people, for our lands, but also for freedom and democracy. We fight for their rights to be who we are, to live peacefully in our country, and to decide how we want to live in our country.
For 65 days, we have seen unbelievable destruction of our country. We have seen ceaseless attacks from the sky, from east, north, and from south. We have seen some of the cities like Mariupol and Kharkiv and Tserkva destroyed to the ground. We have seen attacks on civilian orchards and hospitals and schools. We have seen destruction of universities which were there, some of them for more than 200 years, and even the World War II did not destroy them. We experience unimaginable losses. More than 4.5 million people had to flee Ukraine, and many are women and children, to save their lives. More than 7 million people are internally displaced in Ukraine. More than 10 million people, as we speak today, live under brutal conditions under occupation, without water, without food, without the basic needs for medical supplies.
But also for the 65 days, we have shown to the world an example of bravery, starting with our unbelievably great president, Volodymyr Zelensky, not only when this phase of the war started, and I want to remind you that this war is in Ukraine for the past eight years. Russia attacked us in 2014. But during the first 65 days, as soon as Russia started its full-fledged attack and invasion in this phase of the war, President Zelenskyy came out, and he said, “The president is here. I’m here, and stay in Kyiv. We will not surrender. We will not give up. We will defend what we love and what we believe in. And this is what we are doing. And this is the whole nation fighting: Our brave armed forces, our National Guard, our rescuers. But every Ukrainian center is doing what our president has said we would do, and we will not give up. Ukrainians love [to] build things. We love [to] grow wheat. We love to initiate startups. But today we all had to postpone what we were doing in our ordinary lives, and we all have to defend our country. And we’re very grateful to all of our strategic friends and allies and especially to the United States for all the support, with weapon, with sanctions, with financial and energy support to Ukraine. Because this fight is so much more than you think. This fight is about the global situation. This fight is about whether Europe and in general the democratic world can feel safe, whether you can make the civilisational choice to be democratic, to be free, to be sovereign and not be attacked by the brutal enemy.
On behalf of my president and all Ukrainians, firstly, great thank you. And our deepest gratitude for this act of support and for the World Leaders Award for Peace and Security. I agree with you that nobody deserves it better than our president, who has shown an outstanding example of leadership under the dire circumstances. I would like to also thank you for this event and for the efforts that all of your professors and all of the distinguished guests have taken in order to help us to already brainstorm and say, how are we going to deal with things? Because for us, the number one goal, of course, is to win in this war. And as we are certain not to surrender, we are certain that with the help of all of our friends and allies, we will win this war, and peace will return to Ukraine, and then we will build back Ukraine better. We will build a new innovative Ukraine 2022.0., which will be the most efficient, the most democratic, the most innovative. And we would be able to see all of our friends and allies to participate in this new endeavor. So with that, let me again thank you for this award. Thank you for inviting me to speak at the beginning of this conference. I wish you very fruitful discussions today. And we need all the prayers and all the weapons that anyone can provide to us and present all of us, democratic people. People who love freedom and who are ready to fight for it will win.
Governor Michael Dukakis, Nguyen Anh Tuan, Zaneta Ozolina
Thomas Patterson, Nazli Choucri, Alex Sandy Pentland, David Silbersweig, Mats Karlsson, Jim McManus
As Russia’s war against Ukraine continues, global leaders and diplomatic observers have turned their attention to two distinct agendas to help resolve the conflict. The first is to provide immediate support for Ukraine as it endures unprecedented attacks by Russia conducted with modern weapons and massive military power. The second involves planning for the prevention of unprovoked aggression through the adoption of values and standards that will ensure peaceful relations worldwide.
Short Term Strategies to Support Ukraine
Most immediate are the actions to support Ukraine and demonstrate the extent of global opposition to such aggression with indiscriminate violence. Bombing of urban civilian areas — apartment buildings, hospitals, schools and farms — violates international law and norms of warfare agreed upon by the international community.
Participants in the Boston Global Forum Conference April 29, 2022 proposed the follow steps to assist Ukraine at this critical time of immense need:
Provide humanitarian and other support to address the war-related health crisis in Ukrainian cities and towns. This includes medical supplies, health care providers, equipment, temporary hospitals and all related assistance;
Deliver advanced weapons, offensive and defensive, to compensate for uneven scales in the war;
Share all intelligence information with the Ukrainian Government — including contributions by NATO and European nations– pertaining to Russian troop movements, tactical weapons locations and battle plans;
Sustain existing economic sanctions and impose sanctions to energy resources, which at the present moment is the main financial source supporting Russia’s war machinery
Support and engage in the debate on limitation and exclusion of Russia from the UN Security Council, as a country which does not respect the UN Charter and its founding principles.
Provide strategic military advice to help in the fight against Russian air, ground and naval forces;
Assist Ukrainian students and children, in the country who face shortages of basic needs such as food, shelter and medical care. Assist in sustaining, where possible, educational institutions. Call on Ukrainian students outside the country to find ways of helping and rebuilding Ukraine.
Call for organizing a High-Level International Conference on Peace, Security and Territorial Integrity for Ukraine, with participation of leaders from Russia, Ukraine, United States, and the European Union, to be held in Paris, Riga, or Stockholm.
Future Strategies to Support Ukraine
The Ukraine invasion is a painful lesson for the world that compromise with dictators and authoritarian regimes only feeds aggression. In response, speakers at the Boston Global Forum focused on the advantages of promoting development of a competitive economy, in conjunction with a flourishing democratic political system.
Above all, the war on Ukraine has highlighted ways in which the leaders of Russia deceive the public through their messages and actions, and the use of their propaganda systems. They promised to create “humanitarian corridors” to allow civilian non-combatants to leave areas under attack, only to renege on those promises. Russia has not made any serious attempt to engage in peace talks. All evidence so far is of hollow commitments.
Speakers at the conference underscored the need to address Russia’s aggression and its unprecedented disinformation by adopting specific steps:
Promote shared democratic values through multilateral organizations, NGOs, universities, business entities, and academic centers; Comprehensive multinational and new form of Marshall plan is needed for Ukraine ensuring fast reconstruction and recovery from the war. It will serve as a coordinated and efficient platform for economic development, social assistance and human empowerment.
Develop legal and humanitarian standards as foundation for 21st century international relations. For example, the Social Contract for the AI Age and the book Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment provide invaluable guidance for rational rule-making in the Age of Digital and AI.
Encourage the formation of a New Alliance to protect rational standards and the security of countries that support them.
