I’ve dealt with Putin before: I know what it will take to defeat this brutal despot

Maksym Kurochkin is a playwright. For nearly three years, he and 20 different Ukrainian playwrights had been planning to construct a brand new theatre within the coronary heart of Previous Kyiv. The group discovered a powerful previous construction that they have been busy renovating so as to open the Playwrights’ theatre on 12 March. On 24 February, Maksym and his colleagues awoke to the horrific sound of bombs. 12 March got here and went. As an alternative of planning a grand opening for a brand new theatre, Maksym is now analyzing army methods to defeat the Russian invaders. As an alternative of a pen in his hand, he now carries a weapon.

It's two months for the reason that Russian military illegally crossed our borders. They've been failing ever since of their makes an attempt to invade Ukraine. A part of the rationale for his or her failure is that they weren't anticipating to fulfill such fierce and heroic resistance, each from our subtle army and from territorial defenders like Maksym who, when confronted with the fact of the Russian invasion, determined to take up arms and struggle.

Many of those courageous territorial defenders, together with my very own daughter, who instantly signed up as soon as the conflict started, have by no means had any army coaching or been in any form of battle state of affairs. Tales like that of the younger couple who pushed their wedding ceremony day ahead so as to be part of the territorial defence power, or the comic who normally helps veterans recover from their trauma however has determined to grow to be a fighter himself, present you the unbreakable spirit of the Ukrainian individuals. Tragically, a few of these defenders have fallen in battle. Others have been overwhelmed and killed in cities reminiscent of Bucha, Kharkiv and Mariupol. We is not going to know what number of of our residents have died till we open the mass graves and clear the rubble of our razed cities.

As stunning as these tales are to listen to, that is precisely what we must always anticipate from the savage Russian military led by the dictator Vladimir Putin. My very own historical past with Putin goes again to 2000, once we have been each prime ministers of our respective nations. It was solely after I ran to be president of Ukraine in 2004 that he actively campaigned in opposition to me. The acute lengths he was keen to go to so as to get what he wished turned clear. I couldn't enable this to discourage me; after I gained, I realised that I wanted to attempt to hold a workable relationship with him because the chief of our neighbour within the east. However the Putin I handled then now not exists. He has since grow to be a totally remoted and brutal despot who can't stand any opposition.

One of many biggest weapons we now have in opposition to Putin is worldwide solidarity and assist. That is one thing that actually bothers him. I do know that, whereas information about our conflict made headlines all around the world and dominated the worldwide dialog for a number of weeks, curiosity in tales of our territorial defenders is beginning to wane. Fatigue in the direction of the horrors of conflict is unfortunately widespread; we noticed this with Syria, Yemen and our personal Donbas. However these of us in Ukraine can't afford to really feel fatigued, or else we threat shedding sight of victory. Our power is now extra vital than ever. Though numerous Russian retreats are going down, we hear tales that Russian troops are regrouping and planning to proceed their assault. It's now that we should resolve to win this conflict.

We can't do that with out exterior assist. This conflict is a defining second, not simply in Ukrainian historical past, however in defence of democracy. This isn't only a regional battle between Ukraine and Russia however a struggle in opposition to tyranny and imperialism. Our military continues to want weapons and army help from all our allies. And we'd like financial help to assist us plug the holes that this conflict is blowing in our beforehand robust financial system. Our management isn't solely on the forefront of the conflict with Russia, however can also be preventing behind battle strains – within the security of worldwide places of work and establishments – to safe the assist from allies that we'd like so as to restore peace and freedom to Ukraine.

On the identical time, we've a military of volunteers who should hold supplying our territorial defenders with the protecting gear they want so as to hold preventing on the frontlines. Fortunately, civil society organisations such because the Ukrainian World Congress have labored tirelessly to make sure a gradual stream of non-lethal provides to our defenders. They've additionally mounted a mammoth effort to advocate for our allies to ship the weapons we desperately want, and impose the financial blockades and sanctions essential to defeat Russian aggression. Our defenders will hold preventing till we lastly obtain victory, and our supporters will hold doing the whole lot they'll to assist them.

I strongly imagine that victory for Ukraine is inevitable. When bizarre Ukrainians give the whole lot as much as struggle for his or her freedom and dignity, victory is the one choice. I can't look ahead to the day when this conflict is lastly over and Maksym and his colleagues will be capable to open their theatre and stage new performs written by courageous and defiant playwrights who will focus not on propaganda, however on their very own voices and concepts. At this time, we struggle for freedom. Tomorrow, we'll watch the performs of our authors who gained this freedom, defining what it means to be Ukrainian.

• Viktor Yushchenko was the president of Ukraine from 2005 to 2010