Andrei Sannikov: Ukrainians opened new chapter in fight for Eastern Europe’s freedom

The leader of “European Belarus” has taken part in the 2014 Halifax International Security Forum.

The event took place on November 21-23 in Canada. One of its most important topics was the situation in Eastern Europe after the invasion of Russia into the territory of Ukraine.

The annual Halifax International Security Forum is one of the largest international high-level conferences, which is dealing with the issues of the modern agenda and challenges in the world. It is held under the auspices of the Defense Ministry and the government of Canada. This year the forum was held for the sixth time and it gathered participants from 60 countries of the world. Among them there were ministers of foreign affairs, defense and justice of Canada, a strong delegation of the US Congress headed by the US Senators John McCain and Tim Kaine, Estonian President Toomas-Hendrik Ilves, the former Foreign Affairs Minister of Sweden Carl Bildt, the former President of Turkey Abdullah Gül, the former Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Barak, politicians, analysts, journalists of world media, experts in the sphere of international security. Representatives of the Russian opposition – the former Prime Minister of Russia Mikhail Kasyanov, a deputy of the State Duma Ilya Ponomaryov, as well as the former Defense Minister of Georgia Irakli Alasania, who has retired from office recently, were present as well.

This year a great number of military departments’ representatives took part in the Forum, which evidences a tense atmosphere in the world. As informed by the organisers, seven “four-star generals” had taken part in the Forum. Undoubtedly, primary focus was on the issues of the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine, the terroristic “Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria”, drugs trafficking, organized crime, the role of the US in the global policy, informational wars, and many other issues.

The leader of the European Belarus civil campaign Andrei Sannikov, who took part in the event, told about that in an interview to charter97.org website.

“Ukrainian agenda was present in most discussions. It was clear that what is happening in this country is a serious challenge to the international security,” he said. “So far, to my mind, the international community has not found an answer to the question how Ukrainian democracy and independence could be helped. Speaking of Ukraine, Senator McCain said a memorable phrase: “Tanks could not be stopped by blankets,” meaning that Ukraine needs a more significant aid to protect its territory and its state.

It should be said that the discussions at the Forum to a large extent were promoted by intro videos before each session, which set the tone, and sometimes spurred a heated discussion.

I had a chance to communicate and talk through the situation in Belarus with the Foreign Minister of Canada John Baird, who invited a shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs Paul Dewar to the meeting with me. It should be said that one can find more understanding of our problems and more readiness to help than in some European capitals. The situation in Belarus was discussed with Senators Tim Kaine and John McCain, the friend of our country David Kramer, who has left his position in Freedom House and starts his work in the Institute of John McCain. I also met with the initiator of the Forum, Peter MacKay, who occupies the position of Canadian Minister of Justice now. He knows about the situation in Belarus perfectly well, he is a consistent adherent of democratic changes in our region, and in our country in particular. There also were meetings with analysts and journalists.”

Belarus was in focus of attention of one of the events of the Forum, at which Andrei Sannikov delivered a speech together with the former Governor of Vermont Howard Dean, and Justice Minister of Canada Peter MacKay.

“Both during public speeches and at the meetings I tried to attract attention to the situation which has come about in the region,” the leader of the European Belarus said. “It is clear that the Russian aggression in Ukraine and the attempt to stifle the Ukrainian democracy are in the focus of attention. Experts and politicians, including the ones at the Halifax Forum, spoke on this issue more than on any other. But there is another side to the events in Ukraine, and I drew attention to that. To my mind, by their self-sacrificing and heroic uprising against the corrupt authorities, the Ukrainian nation started a new chapter in the fight for freedom in the entire region, for independence of the former Soviet states, for breaking away from the influence of the Kremlin. It is the most important and decisive factor in what is happening in Ukraine now. So one cannot speak about assistance to Ukraine only. One should understand that liberation of Eastern Europe is not finished. It’s true, there was a period of fight for freedom, which ended successfully when many countries became free, but today the struggle is continued in our states. It was easier then. There was Gorbachev, there was perestroika. Today it is much more difficult. There is an aggressive behavior of the Kremlin and the cruel dictator Putin. But this does not mean that the strategy of the democratic states should be orientated to the actions of the dictatorship, and not to the nation’s fight for freedom.

At all meetings I certainly brought up the topic of political prisoners in Belarus, of the presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich who stays behind the bars. I noted that the European Union, contrary to its decisions, agreed to softening of its position towards the dictatorship, before the political prisoners are released.

I explained that the new wave of protests started from the Square 2010 in Belarus, continued in Russia, where mass protests took place in 2011 and 2012, and in Maidan. The struggle of Ukrainians was crowned with success. Today the fate of Ukraine to a large extent depends on support of European states, the US, Canada. But the same support is needed by Belarusians who are fighting with the dictatorship, and other nations of the former Soviet Empire, as well. My arguments were listened to with attention, and good and interesting discussions with world politicians were held in this direction.”