5 Things to Reflect Upon 2 Years Since Full-Scale War

This day will be marked by memories and reflections, talks of plans. But it seemed important to me personally to capture the 5 key things as of February 24, 2024. 

People are the most valuable resource, and they are scarce.  

By February 2024, it had become obvious to everyone that the people at the front were the most valuable. A well-trained fighter is worth much more than any other piece of equipment. No surprise that Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi said during the withdrawal of troops from Avdiivka, “The life of servicemen is the highest value.” 

Undoubtedly, our military is the most valuable thing we have. The human resource is now the main one because new equipment can be purchased (of course, if funds are available, but that’s another thing), and a new person cannot. The money invested in the military is priceless compared to any weapon.  

People are priceless. They are needed at the front, in the civil service, and in business and the economy.

Slogans don’t work: specific answers to specific questions are needed.  

For example, stating that there is no corruption in Ukraine is not enough. One should do everything possible to prevent it. It is not enough to declare readiness for changes. One should already introduce them, involving everyone who can help. Political preferences or level of allegiance do not matter here; only the future of Ukraine does. It can be ensured only by the most competent representatives from different spheres. However, unfortunately, we do not see the willingness of the current authorities to engage such people. 

European integration is a long and complex process, it will take a lot of time and require many resources. It is not enough to become a candidate; it is not enough to open negotiations; it is necessary to conduct them successfully. This requires specific steps that need to be talked about openly. 

In general, the openness of the authorities in communicating with people is crucial nowadays. Message-filtering games, fakes, manipulations, or silence can become dangerous in a society so wounded by war. Lack of honest communication with people kills trust, which remains the basis for a truly successful struggle. 

In two years, unfortunately, we have repeatedly witnessed the silence of the authorities on critical, even painful issues for Ukraine. When something happens, everyone knows about it, but no one talks about anything. One thing when it is about the front because such things can be aimed at disorienting the enemy. But it is different when the processes in the state are not talked about.  

We saw this when Zaluzhnyi was replaced, when the pressure on journalists and civic activists began again. We saw this during the development of the new law on mobilization and in the mobilization processes in general. What we haven’t seen is the public acknowledgement and correction of such mistakes. This is just the case when avoiding such a conversation only aggravates the situation. 

The silence of the West, its attempts to turn a blind eye to the problems of our country, both in the war and in other issues, may be just as bad. The German government ignoring the need for Taurus missiles (even the last law mentioned only “long-range weapons,” but not specifically these missiles). Or silence on the blocking of the border with Ukraine by Polish farmers. Warsaw, the Ukrainian government, and Brussels have been silent on this issue for too long. It appears that everyone was silent for an extremely long time, except for Polish farmers spilling Ukrainian grain, which causes us even more pain—truly existential pain. After the Holodomor of 1932–33, after Bucha and Mariupol in 2022, one can barely watch it.

The world is only now beginning to understand that something is changing, but in fact, everything has already changed. 

It would seem that in two years such awareness should have already come, but we still see that adopting decisions is extremely difficult for many democratic countries. Such a terrible threat in two years has already become commonplace for many and gradually fades into the background, although it definitely remains no less dangerous. 

How else can we perceive the statements of the Trumpists that Europe should solve its problems by itself, and that only those countries are worth supporting that invest in the defense industry, even despite the guarantees given decades ago? America has enough of its own problems; it doesn’t need to solve them overseas. Such approaches will eventually transform the United States from a global leader to a regional one. The niche of the global leader will be taken by other countries, perhaps not as friendly towards democracy.  

The West is still sometimes playing politics, trying to find a solution that will be more convenient for its voters. In this reality, no one wants to invest in military power, support Ukraine, or finally block all opportunities for Russia to continue this war in the future. As a result, we are already seeing Starlink systems used by the Russians, and we continue to find American and European microchips in Russian missiles.

The world wants peace, but it doesn’t know what it should look like. It seems the world is not ready to pay for it, it just wants it.  

Many European politicians and citizens want to return to the world of February 23, but this is impossible: you cannot go back in time.  

All because that very February 23 disappeared back in August 2008, when Russia attacked Georgia. This loss intensified 10 years ago, during the occupation of Crimea and the invasion of the Donbas. People talk about the “last day of peace” on February 23, 2022, although in fact there was no peace then.  

This is not a desire to restore peace; this may be a desire to return to the 90s, to return the past. But the present is different. You cannot rely on international law now, it has been discredited. Unless Putin is pressured today, he is ready for anything, even threatens to launch nuclear warheads. No one knows exactly where the missile will fly. Therefore, it is necessary to take all the opportunities from the Kremlin dictator to reach for that button.

Victory is far away and painful for everyone.  

Victory is not the end. Victory is a demand for change. It concerns both Ukrainians and the entire democratic world. Unless this happens, it is not we who will win, but the dictators. 

It is astonishing that in two years, Ukrainians have not changed their vision of victory: for all the territories seized by the Russians to be liberated. They are ready to stand for this land and to die for this land just as avidly as they did in 2022. It is sad that some Europeans show entirely different moods. 

But we have our own goals. To correct long-standing mistakes of the two painful years. To support the army — physically, intellectually, or with a donation. To keep our head cool. Despite all the pain that we have already experienced and will still experience. In this regard, there is little difference between now and February 24.