Victor Pinchuk Foundation hosts discussion “Why We Fight For You: A Conversation with Soldiers and Veterans” on the occasion of WEF in Davos

Victor Pinchuk Foundation hosted the discussion “Why We Fight For You: A Conversation with Soldiers and Veterans” during WEF in Davos (Switzerland). The event was held as a part of the project ‘YOUR COUNTRY FIRST – WIN WITH US’, organized by Victor Pinchuk Foundation and PinchukArtCentre in cooperation with the Office of the President of Ukraine. The project, which combines an ongoing discussion program and an exhibition, is an immersive intellectual and visual experience, and a space for dialogue and action.

Among the participants of the discussion were Khrystyna Boychuk, Officer, National Guard of Ukraine; Dmytro Finashyn, Hero of Ukraine, Advisor on Veteran Policy to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine; Daniel Salem, Officer of special unit, Armed Forces of Ukraine; "Tataryn", Soldier, Armed Forces of Ukraine, Crimean Tatar.

Carl Bildt, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden (2006-2014); Prime Minister ofSweden (1991-1994), Member, YES Board, moderated the discussion.

Carl Bildt, moderating the panel discussion, opened the panel by asking each of the panellists, ‘What are you fighting for?’. 

Khrystyna Boychuk, who has served in the National Guard of Ukraine since 2013, said: “It is important to fight for freedom and independence. I was born in independent Ukraine. A lot of my friends have died/die in this war. They fought for everyone in the world, for freedom, love, relationships. I fight for these people who have died and for all my people, my friends who are with me in this war.”

Dmytro Finashin, professional soldier and Hero of Ukraine, responded: “What are you fighting for? is a banal question – it’s basic – for the existence of our, nation, our country, freedom, life, democracy. Today we are fighting but tomorrow it could be you, if you do not learn from our experience you will have to fight with your men. So let us learn together – learn from our experience – Russia should be forced to stop this war.” 

Dmytro Finashin continued, “We did not want this war, we want it to end asap, we want the whole world to bring pressure on the aggressor and end it, to stop the aggressor who thinks they are omnipotent and can just walk into another country, kill people and take what they want.”

Daniel Salem, who was a TV presenter and restaurateur before the war, said: “Russia will not stop moving forward, it’s not about principles for them, it’s being greedy, being an aggressor, we are fighting for fairness and justice. This is unfair. We are grateful that we can be here, after five days we will go back to the front line, we all have fractures, injuries, we are all broken down mentally. Imagine what is going on in our heads. We smile, but don’t be fooled – we adapted, we do not want you to have to adapt, believe us it is a high price.”

“Tataryn”, a Tatar from Crimea, a soldier who must remain anonymous, spoke: “I wish I could speak uncovered but I can’t afford it. I did not want to fight, I was a civilian, but in 2014 the Russians came to my home and said I was a collaborator so I had to flee. When the all-out war started I understood I could not flee anymore. I come from the first generation of Crimean Tatars born in Crimea after the deportation of 1944. My parents and grandparents were deported. I want to live in our lands – I am asking you to fight so we can come back to our homes.”

CarlBildt, closing a panel with soldiers and veterans of the frontlines, said: “I believe that support for Ukraine is still strong, but the world is an increasingly messy place. Your task is to fight for your country, and our task is to mobilise the political support, and that is what we are trying to do.”

The project ‘YOUR COUNTRY FIRST - WIN WITH US’ is organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation and the PinchukArtCentre in cooperation with the Office of the President of Ukraine. 

The  project ‘ YOUR COUNTRY FIRST - WIN WITH US’ located at Promenade 59, Davos, is a complementary event hosted on the occasion of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, in a space shared with Ukraine House Davos.

Agenda of the discussion program is available https://www.winwithua.org/agenda

Photos are available here

Video is available here

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