Do not appease evil

On January 5th 2025, Ukrainian public figures published an open appeal to the planet leaders and the global community, dedicated to the issues of ending the war in a just way and establishing a sustainable peace. The paper is signed by more than 160 persons, including human rights activists, MPs, diplomats, academics, celebrated artists, leaders of the largest business associations and various spiritual communities (Christian, Muslim and Jewish). The appeal, entitled “Do not appease evil,” highlights the Ukrainian imagination of Russia’s far-reaching subversive objectives, and depicts the affirmative and the negative scenarios of the war’s end that depend on the position of the planet leaders and the global community.

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The fresh year 2025 brings many uncertainties yet much hope to Ukraine and Europe as we effort to find a straightforward solution to a complex problem: how to end the large war. As Ukrainian public figures and intellectuals, we address the planet leaders and the global community in order to share our perspectives on the forthcoming challenges and expectations.

Above all, we would like to emphasize that acquiring additional territories is not Russia’s primary nonsubjective in this war. It already has vast undeveloped territories, and erstwhile it seizes a fresh land, this land is systematically neglected. Similarly, the nonsubjective is not simply to bring Ukraine back under its control. This is only 1 of the intermediate goals. Russia’s eventual aim is to break the current planet order. It seeks to regain its position of a superpower that acts arbitrarily and, by the right of the stronger, attacks neighbors, interferes in the affairs of another countries, commits terrorist acts, supports authoritarian regimes and illegally armed groups around the world. no of this is an isolated incident, a whim of Putin, or a temporary “deviation from normalcy.” It is simply a part of a strategical design. This is why, 3 years ago, Putin issued an ultimatum to the United States and its allies in Europe, demanding a return to the 1997 disposition. Ukraine, by reason of its past and geography, has become the next mark on the way to realization of these revanchist intentions.

For Ukraine itself, this war is existential: it is simply a war for endurance of the Ukrainian nation, society, and state. Ukrainian democratic and Russian authoritarian-imperial political visions are fundamentally mutually exclusive. That means that any ‘freezing’ of the conflict at this or that demarcation line will not lead either to a relief of tensions or to the establishment of sustainable peace. For Russia, specified a frost would primarily signal the weakness of the West and encourage further aggression and wars that spill the blood of Europeans and Americans. Sustainable peace will come only when, under the combined force of Ukraine and its allies, Russia faces a systemic crisis and the defeat of Putin’s regime. As proven by history, tyrannies are fragile.

This war is not confined to Ukraine, nor can the ‘Ukrainian question’ be solved exclusively within the framework of Russian-Ukrainian relations. If the planet leaders request concessions of the territories and sovereignty from Ukraine without providing any effective safety guarantees, they will fundamentally bring about Ukraine’s defeat, which will signal to China and another revisionists that they can seize what they want. North Korean troops will appear in different hot spots. Piracy, blocking of trade routes, attacks on information systems and global communications will sabotage global trade. Longstanding efforts to limit the spread of atomic weapons will be reduced to naught. Russian media influence, cyberattacks, covert operations, and election interference in democratic countries will undermine the planet order. And the possible fall of Ukraine would make a large wave of refugees and open the way for Putin to advance farther westward.

On the another hand, an effective end of Russian aggression against Ukraine could be a solution to many problems of the democratic world. Russia’s defeat in its war of aggression against Ukraine would reestablish the order based on rules and interdependence of liable players. The safety of global trade, global atomic energy, and food safety will be strengthened. Terrorist regimes and organizations around the planet will lose Russian support and weaken.

Today, Ukraine is buying time for the democratic planet to unite and strengthen. But this time is not limitless. The forces defending peace, freedom, and human dignity must go on the offensive. Ukraine and the full democratic planet can only win together or give in and lose together. The illusion of peace at the cost of shame has repeatedly brought on a fresh war.

The strength of a democracy is the ability to learn from past mistakes. Ukraine, too, has fought—and continues to fight—its way to democracy through trial and error. It is paying an exorbitant price along the way. Each and all 1 of us has relatives and friends that lost property, their health, or even their lives. But we realize that the price of war will be even higher if our allies are seduced by the illusion of stopping the war without addressing its causes. And this is not only for Ukraine, but for the full world. That is why we urge our partners to look for a way not to appease the aggressor, but to win together.

Evil cannot be appeased. It must be defeated and punished for the sake of a safe future of Ukraine, Europe, and the full world.

Signatories

Alim Aliev, deputy manager general of the Ukrainian institute, founder of the “Crimean Fig” cultural project

Kostyantyn Batozskyy, political analyst

Yaryna Boychuk, CEO, UCU Business School

Mykhailo Gonchar, president of the CGS strategy XXI, Chief Editor of the Black Sea safety Journal

Hanna Hopko, Network “ANTS”, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine and chairwoman of the abroad Affairs committee (2014-2019)

Volodymyr Horbach, Executive manager of Institute for Northern Eurasia Transformation

Yaroslav Hrytsak, professor, Ukrainian Catholic University

Ihor Koliushko, Centre for Policy and Legal Reform, Head of the Board, erstwhile associate of the Parliament of Ukraine

Serhii Koshman, civilian society activist

Oleksii Kovzhun, media analyst and political consultant

Nataliia Kryvda, PhD, prof. of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Head of Ukrainian Cultural Foundation

Oleksandr Novikov, Head of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (2020-2024), preacher of the integrity and human-centered management strategy OKR

Olesia Ostrovska-Liuta, Director, “Mystetskyi Arsenal” National Art and Culture Museum Complex

Bohdan Pankevych, co-founder, associate of the Board of the Ukrainian Galician party

Oleksiy Panych, prof. of Philosophy, Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary

Valerii Pekar, adjunct prof. of Kyiv-Mohyla and UCU Business schools, president of the board of Decolonization NGO

Roman Rak, elder Resident Fellow at Frontier Institute, Editor-in-Chief of NZL Media (TUM)

Yaroslav Rushchyshyn, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine

Olena Sotnyk, human rights lawyer and public figure, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine (8th convocation)

Taras Stetskiv, politician and public figure, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine (1st-4th and 6th convocations)

Oleksandr Sushko, Executive Director, global Renaissance Foundation

Victoria Voytsitska, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine (8th convocation), ranking associate of the Energy Committee, Advocacy manager of ICUV

Mykola Vyhovskyy, civilian activist

Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine, Head of the Committee on Freedom of Speech

Olga Aivazovska, Chairperson, civilian Network OPORA

Andrii Dligach, Dr. Econ., founder, Advanter Group, Kyiv Foresight Foundation

Orest Drul, editor

Dr. Oksana Gudzovata, prof. of UCU Business School

Yevhen Hlibovytsky, general director, Frontier Institute

Valeriia Kozlova, associate professor, UCU Business School

Myroslav Marynovych, erstwhile prisoner of conscience (1977-1987)

Oleksandra Matviichuk, human rights lawyer, head of the Center for civilian Liberties

Sofiya Opatska, Founding Dean, Business School of the Ukrainian Catholic University

Svyatoslav Pavlyuk, Executive Director, Association Energy Efficient Cities of Ukraine

Roman Romanov, Human Rights and Justice Program Director, global Renaissance Foundation

Vitalii Rudenky, investigation and Analytical Director, Transformation Communication Activity

Igor Semyvolos, Executive manager of Association of mediate East Studies

Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Chairman, Centre for Defence Strategies

Dmytro Zolotukhin, deputy minister of information policy of Ukraine (2017-2019), founder of the NGO “Institute for postinformation society”

Oleksandr Yabchanka, officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, medical doctor, lecturer of Ukrainian Catholic University

Yuri Andrukhovych, writer

Viktoriia Antonenko, CEO of the NGO ArcUA, Executive Editor of Arc.UA

Petro S. Balog, OP, manager of St Thomas Aquinas Institute of spiritual Studies

Roman Bezsmertny, politician, diplomat, Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary

Martina Boguslavets. Head of Anti-corruption center MEZHA

Serhii Bolhov, Head of U8 Ukrainian Analytical Center NGO

Hanna Bondarenko, Head of Ukrainian Volunteer Service, associate of the Youth Affairs Council under the president of Ukraine

Kateryna Botanova, cultural researcher, curator, head of analytics at the Frontier Institute (Ukraine)

Yehor Brailian, Candidate of historical sciences, Associate prof. of the Department of global Relations and strategical Studies, Kyiv Aviation Institute, analyst, Detector Media

Stepan Burban (Palindrom), artist, musician

Yevhen Bystrytsky, Dr., Leading investigator of Institute of Philosophy, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

Sofia Cheliak, program manager of Lviv global BookForum, journalist, translator, PEN Ukraine member

Yehor Cherniev, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine, Head of the Ukrainian delegation to the NATO PA

Dr. Roman Chmelyk, director, Lviv Historical Museum

Refat Chubarov, president of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People

Oleksandr Chudnovets, president of the council of the public organization Kyiv Military Historical Society

Orysia Demska, professor, National Academy of the SSU

Larysa Denysenko, Human Right Attorney, Writer

Taras Dobko, Rector, Ukrainian Catholic University

Petro Dolhanov, historian, Associate prof. of the Department of Teaching Methods, Rivne Regional Institute for Postgraduate Pedagogical Education

Oleg Dubish,Chairman of the Council of the Polish-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and the Board of the Polish-Ukrainian Partnership Fund

Vladimir Dubrovskiy, elder Economist at CASE Ukraine

Dmytro Durnyev, journalist

Oleksandra Dvoretska, human rights defender, founder Crimean Human Rights Centre Deistviye (Action)

Uliana Dzhurlaik, Architect, civilian activist, co-founder “Save Kvity Ukrainy”

Sergiy Filimonov, Gonor movement founder, commander of Da Vinci Wolves battalion, captain of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Leonid Finberg, manager of the Judaica Center, National university Kyiv-Mohyla Academy

Oksana Forostyna, Opinion Editor, Ukraina Moderna

Alyona Franchuk, Deputy Head of the Regional improvement Center in Lviv of the Ukrainian Leadership Academy

Vladyslav Greziev, founder, Lobby X recruiting platform, NGO Zminotvortsi

Iurii Gudymenko, war veteran, statesman and civilian rights activist

Nataliya Gumenyuk, Ukrainian Journalist, CEO Public Interest Journalism Lab

Myroslav Hai, president of the charity foundation Myr & Ko, officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Serhii Haidaichuk, president of CEO Club Ukraine

Olena Halushka, co-founder, global Center for Ukrainian Victory

Oleksiy Haran, Professor, National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy

Ulana Holovatch, Associate Professor, Ukrainian Catholic University

Yurij Holovatch, professor, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

Olena Honcharuk, culture manager, creative manager of the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Centre – Ukrainian movie archive

Bohdan Hud, professor, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, visiting professor, University of Warsaw

Serhii Husak, second lieutenant of The National defender of Ukraine, otolaryngologist, musician (Nitso Potvorno)

Said Ismahilov, junior lieutenant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, ex-Mufti of the Muslims of Ukraine

Daria Kaleniuk, Anti-Corruption Action Centre

Zoya Kazanzhy, journalist, writer

Vakhtang Kebuladze, philosopher, writer, translator

Roman Kechur, Head of the Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy of the Ukrainian Catholic University

Svitlana Khyliuk, manager of Law School, Ukrainian Catholic University

Pavlo Klimkin, Minister of abroad Affairs of Ukraine (2014-2019)

Andrii Klymenko, Crimean expert and journalist, Editor-in-chief of the BlackSeaNews, Head of the Monitoring Group of the Black Sea Institute of strategical Studies

Natalia Klymovska, Vice Rector for improvement and Communications, Ukrainian Catholic University

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, associate of the Parliament, Chair of the Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU

Mykola Kniazhytskyi, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine

Olena Kondratiuk, Deputy talker of the Parliament of Ukraine

George (Iurii) Kovalenko, rector, Open Orthodox University of Saint Sophia the Wisdom, archpriest, Orthodox Church of Ukraine

Vsevolod Kozhemyako, volunteer of the Defence Forces of Ukraine, owner, Agrotrade Group, Honorary Consul of Austria in Kharkiv

Roman Kravets, journalist

Mykhailo Krikunov, Ph.D., Dean, Kyiv Business School

Lt. Colonel Bohdan “Tavr” Krotevych, Chief of Staff of the 12th peculiar Forces Brigade Azov of the National defender of Ukraine

Viktor Kruglov, associate of board of the Ukrainian association of publishers and booksellers, CEO of Ranok Publishing house

Kyrylo Kryvolap, managing partner, Civitta Ukraine; director, Center for economical recovery

Volodymyr Kurennoy, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine (5th, 7th, 8th convocations)

Ulyana Kyrchiv, historian

Serhiy Kvit, president of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy

Kostiantyn Kvurt, Head of the Board, NGO “Internews Ukraine”

Bogdan Logvynenko, founder of Ukraїner

Danylo Lubkivsky, manager of the Kyiv safety Forum, Deputy abroad Minister of Ukraine (2014)

Oleksandr Lysenko, professor, Institute of past of Ukraine of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU)

Taras Lyuty, professor, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy

Ksenia Maryniak, C. Tran., CIUS Editor

Juliy Morozov, co-founder of NGO “Union of liable citizens” and Military and civilians recovery space HART

Sevgil Musaieva, Chief Editor of Ukrainska Pravda (Ukrainian Truth)

Oleksii Mushak, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine (2014-2019), economical advisor to the Prime Minister (2019-2020)

Nataliya Mykolska, Executive manager Diia.City United (tech business association), non-executive associate of the Board “Ukrhydroenergo”, visionary, expert on strategical transformation and globalization, Trade typical of Ukraine – Deputy Minister of Economy (2015-2019)

Lyana Mytsko, cultural manager, head of Lviv Municipal Art Center

Masi Nayyem, serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, attorney, co-founder of NGO Pryncyp

Max Nefyodov, co-founder of Technology of advancement NGO

Volodymyr Ogrysko, Minister of abroad affairs of Ukraine (2007-2009), CEO, Centre for Russian Studies

Volodymyr Omelyan, mayor of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Minister of Infrastructure (2016-2019), politician

Oksana Ovsiiuk, Editor-in-chief of the academic website “Ukraina Moderna”

Tetiana Pechonchyk, head of the Human Rights Center ZMINA

Inna Pidluska, Deputy Executive Director, global Renaissance Foundation

Viktoriya Podgorna, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine, Deputy of head committee on Digital Transformation

Taras Prokopyshyn, Co-Founder and CEO, The Ukrainians Media

Oleksandr Pronkevich, Head of the Department of Philology of the Ukrainian Catholic University

Vadym Prystaiko, diplomat, Minister of abroad Affairs of Ukraine (2019-2020), Vice-Prime Minister, Ambassador to the UK, Canada, Head of Mission to NATO

Serhiy Prytula, Founder of Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation

Victoria Ptashnyk, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine (8th convocation), deputy of Kyiv City Council

Oleh Romanchuk, manager of the Institute of intellectual wellness of the Ukrainian Catholic University

Oleksii Riabchyn, Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Protection of Ukraine 2019-20, associate of Parliament of Ukraine (2014-19)

Olexander Samarskiy, Retired Ambassador, Centre for Russian Studies

Mariana Savka, writer, editor-in-chief of the Old Lion Publishing home

Mykhailo Savva, head of the public organization “Expert Group “Sova”, Doctor of Political Sciences

Olexander Scherba, author, diplomat

Akhtem Seitablaiev, movie director

Konstantin Sigov, manager of European Humanities investigation Center, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy

Yevhen Sinkevych, professor, University of Czerkasy

Olga Shapoval, Executive manager Kharkiv IT Cluster, Program Lead Charity Foundation IT4Life

Yuri Shapoval, Professor, Doctor of historical sciences, Head of the Center for Historical Political Studies, Institute of Political and cultural Studies, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

Roman Sheremeta, prof. of Economics at Case Western Reserve University, Founding Rector of American University Kyiv

Dmytro Sherengovsky, Vice-Rector for Outreach, Ukrainian Catholic University

Iryna Shukhtuieva, public activist, curator of art projects

Grygorii Shverk, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine (8th convocation)

Ostap Slyvynsky, Associate Professor, Ukrainian Catholic University, Vice president of PEN Ukraine

Oleksandr Solontay, Head of NGO Agency for Recovery and Development

Iryna Solovey, social innovator, community strategist, president of Garage Gang NGO, co-founder of the large thought crowdfunding platform

Serhiy Sternenko, volunteer, civilian activist

Yevhen Stepanenko. war veteran, writer, author of the book “Abc of war”

Roman Sulzhyk, ex-JP Morgan, ex-Deutsche Bank executive

Ulana Suprun, MD, Minister of wellness of Ukraine (2016-2019), Editor-in-Chief of The Black Sea Whale

Tetiana Sylina, Editor of the global department, Mirror Weekly (ZN.UA)

Tamila Tasheva, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine, Permanent typical of the president of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (2022-2024)

Katya Taylor, curator, founder of NGO Port of Culture

Olena Tregub, Executive manager NGO “Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO)”

Dr. Bohdan Ustymenko, Director, National safety Institute

Yan Valietov, writer

Halyna Vasylchenko, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine

Valeriy Veremchuk, co-founder of NGO “People’s Self-Defence Lviv”, associate of Lviv city council

Viktor Vovk, Club of Rome associate member, associate of the Parliament of Ukraine and deputy president of the abroad Affairs committee (2014-2019), PACE and PA OSCE associate (2015-2019)

Taras Voznyak, general manager of Lviv National Art Gallery

Yehor Vradii, Deputy manager of Museum “Jewish Memory and Holocaust in Ukraine”

Hlib Vyshlinsky, Executive Director, Centre for economical Strategy

Oleh Yaskiv, combat officer, prof. in physics, cinema critic, art manager and lecturer at Ukrainian Catholic University

Andrii Yermolenko, artist, designer, laureate of the Shevchenko Prize 2024, military serviceman

Volodymyr Zabolotovskyy, director, charitable foundation aid HEROES OF UKRAINE

Agiya Zagrebelska, policy director, economical safety Council of Ukraine

Oleksandr Zaitsev, Professor, Ukrainian Catholic University

Yevgeniy Zakharov, human rights defender, manager of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group

Rev. Andriy Zelinskyy, SJ, military chaplain, writer, co-founder of the Ukrainian Leadership Academy

Mykhailo Zhernakov, Doctor of Law, Executive manager of DEJURE Foundation

Josef Zissels, Association of judaic Organizations and Communities of Ukraine, First of December Initiative Group