IN MY HEART – A Discussion on the Third Anniversary of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine

24 Feb IN MY HEART – A Discussion on the Third Anniversary of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine

No, I’m alive! I’ll live eternally!

I have that in my heart which cannot die!

Lesya Ukrainka, Forest Song (1911)

Eleven years have passed since the Russian annexation of Crimea, and exactly three years have passed since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This unjust war has resulted in immense human suffering, material and human casualties, a wave of refugees, as well as a global crisis: economic, political, and social.

In Serbia, over the past three years, we have had to face specific and painful manifestations of the negative legacy of the wars of the 1990s, particularly those arising from our society’s chronic unpreparedness to responsibly confront the past and resolve the most important political and social issues. All of this, since the very beginning of Putin’s military campaign in Ukraine, has caused a dramatic increase in support for Russian occupation, as well as alarming displays of fanatical Putinophilia in Serbia, and a new wave of return to extreme right-wing territorial and identity fetishes and delusions that have, as a rule, led our region into new conflicts and bloody wars.

Today, as we mark the end of the third year of aggression and acknowledge the extraordinary resilience and courage of the Ukrainian people, the future appears more uncertain than ever. The unprincipled alliance of the USA and Russia, which, to the detriment of Ukraine and its citizens, is being actively promoted by the newly elected American President Trump with characteristic vulgar aggression and disregard for facts, and the withdrawal of all military and humanitarian aid that the USA had until recently provided to the Ukrainian side in this unbalanced and deeply unjust conflict, instills fear and unease in the hearts of Ukrainians and all people around the world who have followed the fate of a country exposed to continuous aggression by a much more powerful neighbor with undisputed empathy and deep understanding. More than ever, it seems that we may once again witness the grim realization of the old saying: an unjust peace is worse than war itself.

On Wednesday, February 26th, at 5:30 PM, we will gather at the KROKODIL Center (Male Stepenice 1a) to discuss the political circumstances we find ourselves in—both globally and, more specifically, in Ukraine and Serbia—as well as the possibilities for closer collaboration between civil society organizations in our two countries. In the face of grim and demoralizing geopolitical realities, we must work together to overcome the many challenges ahead.

Our research last year highlighted the necessity of strengthening ties between civil society organizations in Serbia and Ukraine, particularly in areas such as transitional justice, EU integration, post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, and war crimes documentation. Organizations can offer each other invaluable experience and expertise while also developing future collaborative projects. In December 2024, KROKODIL successfully organized the first Liberte, Egalite, Solidarite! Forum at Lake Palić, bringing together representatives of the civil sector to exchange knowledge and perspectives. In March 2025, the second forum will take place in Uzhhorod, Ukraine, and we are confident that these two gatherings will serve as the foundation for numerous fruitful collaborations and meaningful professional and personal connections. These connections will be crucial in the difficult days ahead, forming the basis for building a better future for the generations to come.

The discussion will feature Marko Milosavljević from the Youth Initiative for Human Rights and Ana Oliferovska, a Ukrainian activist currently living in Belgrade, moderated by Vladimir Arsenijević, president of the KROKODIL Association.

We invite you to join us!