Today, the 10th Warsaw Security Forum is coming to a close, with many discussion platforms actively debating the war in Ukraine.
Svitlana Mialyk, a journalist for Ukrainian Radio, also attended the forum in Warsaw. She drew attention to the fact that Jacek Siewiera, the head of Poland’s National Security Bureau, said that “russia should be isolated from the world and closed. russia must be defeated in Ukraine and must be held accountable for all crimes.”
Hanna Hopko, co-founder of the International Center for Ukrainian Victory, was also present at the Warsaw Security Forum. She noted that Ukraine is changing reality. Her team has prepared an exhibition about the confiscated assets of the Central Bank, which will be shown in Brussels and London and will explain how these confiscated assets will reduce the ability of russia to produce weapons. She called for the demilitarization of the Black Sea. Then we will not have to ask Poland to transit our agricultural products through its territory. She also hopes that after the elections in Poland, a new chapter will be opened in relations between the two countries: Ukraine and Poland.
russia has adapted to the realities of war
Hanna Hopko told Ukrainian Radio’s Svitlana Mialyk in Warsaw that she remembers how this Warsaw Security Forum was launched. 10 years ago, it coincided with the events when Ukrainians took to the Maidan, when russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, and when the genocide that russia is carrying out against Ukraine is still ongoing. Hanna Hopko is here to convey the message from those fighting on the front line that “we need faster and more weapons, we need air defense and missile defense, especially on the eve of winter. Because russia has adapted to the realities of war. Its economy is functional, and GDP did not fall by 10%, as was predicted in 2022, but only by 2.2%. There are billions of dollars in the russian budget.” Hanna Hopko noted that there is a certain decrease in attention and interest in the war in Ukraine, as Ukrainian issues are not on the front pages. Therefore, it is important to speak out and remind the world about Ukraine.
Ukraine is changing reality
As for the confiscation of the Central Bank’s money, Hopko believes that the West does not have the political will to do so. And this would be the answer to the question: where do they get the money so that EU or US taxpayers do not have to pay it? “Ukraine is changing reality. We remember how we were denied Himars, tanks, and now F-16s. It is a hard struggle. We have prepared an exhibition about these confiscated assets. It will be presented in Brussels and London. We will tell them that the confiscation of assets will mean a reduction in russia’s ability to produce weapons and the destruction of all of us.”
The issue of the common security of Poland and Ukraine is number one
Hopko hopes that “strategic wisdom and state interests in Warsaw and Kyiv will lead to a new, different page after the elections. That is why we are waiting for the elections in Poland to be over. Because the issue of common security is number one for Polish citizens as well. There are also many Ukrainians here. We are grateful to Poland for its help after russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But we also understand that we will not allow superior or non-partner attitudes, nor will we allow the politicization of history. We must learn to respect our national interests bilaterally. We must demand the demilitarization of the Black Sea. This is the key. And then Ukraine will not have to ask Poland for transit. “Consequently, all our partners should come to this conclusion,” summarized Hanna Hopko.
Source: Ukrainian Radio
