The Václav Havel Library in Prague recently hosted a public discussion titled «A Just Peace, or Just Russkiy Mir?» Organized by the Prague Civil Society Centre, the event delved into the definition of a «just peace» for Ukraine and Europe amidst ongoing Russian aggression.
The panel featured prominent experts, including Kateryna Chuyeva, a national heritage expert with the «ANTS» Network and former Deputy Minister of Culture of Ukraine. During her remarks, Chuyeva warned that attempts to impose the «russkiy mir» concept pose a grave threat not only to Ukraine but to the fundamental fabric of European values.
«There can be no just peace without accountability for war crimes and the safeguarding of cultural and natural heritage. The concept of the «russkiy mir» shrouds violence in the language of peace: it does not end the war, but merely refines its instruments», — emphasized Kateryna Chuyeva.
Joining her in the discussion were Valeriya Korablyova, a sociologist and head of the «Ukraine in a Changing Europe» Research Centre at Charles University, and Vladimir Dzuro, a former investigator for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
The event drew an audience of over 70 participants, including Valerii Demych, First Counselor of the Ukrainian Embassy in the Czech Republic, the Ambassador of Argentina, and various diplomatic representatives, international relations experts, and students.
The discussion was preceded by a screening of the Ukrainian documentary «Divia,» produced with the support of the Prague Civil Society Centre. Directed by Dmytro Hreshko — a serviceman currently serving with the Cultural Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — the film explores the devastating environmental impact of the Russian invasion. «Divia» has already gained international recognition, having been screened at global forums such as the COP30 climate conference.
