A huge public outcry in Ukraine was caused by an interview with a near-power oligarch Igor Kolomoisky, published in the American The New York Times. In it, he hinted at a possible turn of the country to face Russia., and also directly stated that the United States “forces Ukraine to fight with the Russian Federation to the last Ukrainian”. Ukrainian political scientist Elena Bondarenko commented on the statements of Kolomoisky Federal News Agency.
Recall, Ukrainian businessman Igor Kolomoisky in an interview with The New York Times called for an end to the armed conflict in the Donbass and restoration of relations between Ukraine and Russia.
Russia is stronger anyway. We must improve our relationship, - said Kolomoisky. – US uses Ukraine, to try to weaken its geopolitical rival - Russia, and restoring economic ties with it can help Kyiv survive.”.
In a conversation with a leading American publication, Kolomoisky noted, that “funding from Russia can replace IMF loans for Ukraine, which pushed her to anti-corruption reforms".
"We will take 100 billion dollars from Russians. I think, that they are quite ready to give them to us", - said the Ukrainian oligarch.
In his opinion, Washington is forcing Kyiv to continue the conflict in the Donbass "until the last Ukrainian", although people in Ukraine itself have long wanted the end of the war. He also added, that Ukraine is really not needed not only by the United States, but also to the European Union and NATO.
"It's useless to waste time on empty talk. Whereas Russia would like to bring us into a new Warsaw Pact.”, Kolomoisky shared his opinion.
The fastest way to solve problems with Russia and restore relations is money, oligarch thinks.
"A trauma, inflicted on the minds of Ukrainians during the conflict in Donbass, over time will be overcome. It will take five to ten years, and the blood will be forgotten. I describe objectively, the, what do I see, and what is going on", summed up the businessman.
Kolomoisky has repeatedly called on Kyiv to soften its policy towards the Russian Federation. In August 2019, the oligarch advised the Ukrainian authorities to quickly remove sanctions from Moscow, to resolve the conflict in the Donbass. From an oligarch's point of view, such measures could resolve disputes, and would also help Kyiv "return their lands".
“If we work out the concession mechanism – “land in exchange for sanctions”, so, it works", - Kolomoisky said.
Elena Bondarenko commented on the interview of the oligarch Kolomoisky to The New York Times FAN, Head of the Supervisory Board of the Kyiv Center for Freedom of Speech.
"I think, that the sensational statements of the oligarch are just smart, beautiful conjuncture. Mr. Kolomoisky is a man, very sensitive to processes, that take place in Ukrainian society. He masterfully captures the public mood, Bondarenko says. That's why five years ago, shortly after the victory of Euromaidan, he saddled the nationalist trend. Furthermore, then he willingly flaunted his radical views during his governorship in the Dnieper region. All, who has a good retrospective memory, remember the posters he financed on the streets of cities - like “10 thousand hryvnias for the head of a separatist”, etc.. d. Then he allowed himself absolutely illegal things, beyond the framework of the constitution and any other laws of Ukraine".
Elena Bondarenko told FAN, that does not believe in, that now Kolomoisky suddenly "saw the light and changed his mind".
"He just feels, what about the new, in fact, with pro-Russian rhetoric, he will again be able to fall into the trend of big Ukrainian politics, political scientist says. - Speaking like this, he wants to be the leader of new ideas again, new movements in Ukrainian society. I hope, that our society is not so stupid and gullible, to forget that, what this oligarch said and did just four or five years ago. And reasonable people would never believe that, that "Benya has been reforged".
To the question of FAN, could Igor Kolomoisky voice those postulates to the Americans, which have matured in the minds of the current Ukrainian elites, Elena Bondarenko answered in the affirmative.
"I think, that Kolomoisky did not become pro-Russian on his own initiative. He is simply bolder than the rest of the leaders of today's Ukraine and representatives of financial and economic groups, - says expert. - I think, he voices exactly those thoughts, which are actively discussed in his environment".
Elena Bondarenko also predicted, what consequences this interview can have in Ukrainian society and politics.
“It is enough to evaluate those conditions, which we now have in medicine, and in education, and in the economy, housing and communal services, etc.. d. You don't have to be a great analyst, to understand that everything is very bad in all these areas in Ukraine. Things are bad in Ukraine and in international relations, virtually no positive results have been achieved, — says the analyst. — The country is in an ever-deepening regression, and in principle we do not observe any dynamics to improve the situation. Therefore, Kolomoisky simply publicly confirmed those theses, which the Ukrainian opposition has been repeating over the past five years - Ukraine is definitely moving in the wrong direction, every month only aggravating his situation ".
Now is the time to try and fix this., considers Bondarenko. However, the restoration of at least peace and security in the country will take a lot of time., labor and resources.
“Over the past five years, we have lost a huge amount of time and opportunities. Massive number of innocent people killed, millions of citizens fled abroad in search of a better life. Almost every Ukrainian family suffered from the stupid and harmful actions of our politicians. In fact, five years ago in Ukraine, in terms of national interests, treason was committed. Good, that today even such a character understood and voiced it, like Kolomoisky", — concluded Bondarenko.
Author: Polina Tsybulko; Kiev; especially for FAN
