At the time of printing the latest Liberal Bulletin, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has lasted close to ten months. The atrocities against the people of Ukraine in cities like Bucha, Izyum and Mariupol are just some examples of the horrors faced by the innocent.

We invited all of our member parties* in Ukraine to provide us with a short message which we publish here. They remind us of the importance of continuing the fight for justice, for freedom, for democracy. We are united and we stand with Ukraine!

For more on our support to Ukraine, click here.

These testimonies were originally published in the ALDE Party Liberal Bulletin in December 2022. 

Kira Rudik MP, party leader of Golos and ALDE Party Vice President:

"Ukraine has been serving as a shield for Europe for the last eight years. At the time of writing this, our armed forces are fighting for democracy, sacrificing their lives in the name of a free future for us all.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin is using huge amounts of money to spread disinformation and fake news across Europe and the world. This I call ‘Russian propaganda cancer’. Putin’s regime has cycled through a torrent of lies to explain why it is waging the war against a sovereign, democratic country. Disinformation in the wartime is as old as war itself, but this senseless war is taking place in the age of social media, online diplomacy, and television.

Russia’s propaganda is aimed at causing panic not only among Ukrainians but also in the European Union and other Western nations. This is why, since the beginning of war, 24 February 2022, I have been tirelessly engaged in information and negotiation activities to share what is truly happening in our country.

It is a great honour for me to be an information warrior and communicate with the international audience and politicians. My goal is to explain that citizens of democratic countries should not have to pay for Russia’s atrocities. The only solution for the recovery of our country is to confiscate Russian assets. Europeans should be constantly reminded that this is not a conflict, not a crisis, but a full-scale invasion, a cruel war. Yet, this is not a war between Russia and Ukraine. It is Russia’s war against the West and its values, against everything the free world stands for."

Olena Shuliak MP, party leader of the Servant of the People Political Party:

"As a member of the ALDE Party since June this year, it is our firm belief that our party will be a strength to the European liberal family, just as Ukraine will be a strength to the European Union. Together we can always achieve more.

We have been able to introduce the most consistent, systematic and radical liberal reforms since the independence of Ukraine but implementing them has been interrupted by the full-scale invasion of Russia.

However, even at such a difficult time in our country’s history, we continue our fight to protect our land, freedom and independence. We are helping the military and working on all fronts, keeping in mind the European future ahead for us and Ukraine.

Currently, a large part of our efforts is directed to reconstruction and recovery. Our priorities include, among others, strengthening security and defence; restoring and modernising social infrastructure; attracting investments; becoming energy independent and improving the business environment.

International support and cooperation are also very important to rebuilding Ukraine. Several European countries have already declared their readiness to participate in the reconstruction of specific regions. For example, Finland focuses on the Chernihiv region, Poland on the Kharkiv region and the United Kingdom on the Kyiv region. Portugal intends to help reconstruct schools and kindergartens, and Norway will focus on our energy infrastructure. Moreover, the first project is already in progress, with Estonia rebuilding a kindergarten in the city of Ovruch.

We hope countries will move from intentions to concrete actions, despite the continued battles. Ukraine needs the European community as much as it needs Ukraine. We are the defenders of freedom and democracy for all our continent."

Mykola Katerynchuk, party leader of the European Party of Ukraine:

"The most precious support to our country at the moment is the supply of modern heavy, high-precision weapons and small arms, which give the Ukrainian armed forces an advantage on the battlefield.

My fellow party members and I have experienced the importance of these deliveries first hand. The weapons provided by the international community help save lives on the frontlines, deliver accurate blows to the enemy and assist in freeing occupied territories.

A further contributing factor to our continued success is the shelter that the European Union is providing to Ukrainian women and children. The men in arms know that their families are safe, which helps them to fully focus on defeating the enemy. Last but not least, the support provided in the form of logistics and other materials, the purchase and delivery of
military equipment and hardware, such as ammunition and medical supplies, has been vital.

I also want to thank the leaders and members of the ALDE Party, who have visited Kyiv on several occasions to show their support.

But, our fight is not over. For continued success, and the ultimate victory that results in a stable peace, we still need more weapons, the political support for an expedited accession of Ukraine to full NATO membership and a united international community willing to set and apply tough sanctions on Russia.

Don’t forget that our victory is your security."