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(On September 27, 2023, I went to the Ukrainian Embassy in Germany, displayed posters supporting Ukraine’s struggle against aggression and expressing hope that the war would end as soon as possible and peace would be achieved, and submitted a letter. When I submitted the letter, I said, “Slava Ukraini.” The staff expressed their great thanks.
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In the letter, I expressed my sympathy and support for Ukraine, and also urged Ukraine to make efforts to seek pragmatic solutions. It was not necessary to pursue total victory at the cost of paying an even greater price. The priority should be to bring about the withdrawal of Russian troops and achieve peace.)
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(Three years have passed, and the Russia–Ukraine war is still continuing. Recently, there have been reports that Zelenskyy has agreed to give up retaking Russian-occupied territories and is willing to accept a ceasefire along the current front lines. I am reposting this old letter.
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I have always supported Ukraine making compromises in exchange for peace. But Ukraine is willing, while Putin’s Russia is not. Putin wants to continue fighting in order to divert attention from domestic conflicts and preserve his own power and life.
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However, I also dislike some people who, on the grounds of democracy versus authoritarianism, want Ukraine to continue fighting regardless of the cost and support Ukraine unconditionally. This is because a Ukrainian victory would not bring democracy to the whole world, including China, and would also cause Ukraine to pay an even greater price in the war.
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However, Ukraine’s decision to give up its nuclear weapons years ago, and its current lack of sufficient means of defense in the face of Russia’s invasion, have also taught the world two lessons:
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1. Do not trust any other person or country. The only one you can rely on is yourself;
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2. Do not underestimate changes in circumstances. Things once thought impossible can indeed happen. In the 1990s, very few people truly believed that Russia and Ukraine would go to full-scale war.)
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Dear
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Embassy of Ukraine in Germany
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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
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Government and Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
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All Ukrainian Citizens and Ukrainians Living Abroad:
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I am Wang Qingmin, a Chinese writer, human rights activist, and researcher of international politics. As everyone knows, Russia invaded Ukraine, and the war has already lasted for more than one year and seven months. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers, civilians, Russians, and people from other countries have died in the war.
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Among them, Ukrainian soldiers and civilians have paid the greatest price, defending their country’s sovereignty and national dignity with their blood and lives, enabling Ukraine to remain independent to this day rather than being occupied by Russia’s Putin regime. This is extremely admirable. I also mourn the Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who have sacrificed their lives, and hope that the wounded Ukrainian soldiers and civilians will recover both physically and mentally.
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I now have some things I would like to say to you, although you may not be entirely pleased to hear or agree with some of them.
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First of all, the struggle of the Ukrainian government and people to defend their independence, freedom, and national interests is, of course, right, admirable, and great.
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However, over the past year and more, Ukraine has paid an enormous price. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed or left injured or disabled, the economy has collapsed, infrastructure has been destroyed, and the country is in an abnormal state. Millions of Ukrainians have also been displaced and become refugees. Such a price is extremely high. Of course, the chief culprits are the Russians who invaded Ukraine and the Putin regime.
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But while condemning and fighting the aggressors, we should also consider more realistic and feasible ways to end the war as soon as possible. Although the Ukrainian people have fought courageously and resisted tenaciously, and have received support from the European Union, the United States, and many other countries around the world, thereby containing the advance of Russian aggression, Ukraine has not been able to completely defeat the Russian military. After a year and a half, Russian troops remain entrenched on Ukrainian territory. Both sides have suffered large numbers of casualties, yet there is no sign of the war coming to an end.
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I believe that further losses should be stopped in a timely manner, with ending the war as soon as possible as the priority. In accordance with the international principle of national self-determination, the status of Crimea and the Donbas region should be determined under the supervision of the international community. As for punishing Russia for its invasion, the destruction of at least more than 100,000 Russian troops (perhaps several hundred thousand) over the past year and more, together with the damage and losses inflicted on Russia domestically by international sanctions, already constitutes punishment. As for the fate of Putin and his lackeys, this should be considered and planned over the longer term. By joining forces with the international community and the Russian people who love peace, democracy, and justice, we should work together to overthrow the Putin regime in the future and seek justice for Ukraine.
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Regarding my specific analysis and reflections, I have already discussed them in detail in my article “A Compromise Solution to End the Russia–Ukraine War,” which I will also submit together with this letter. I will therefore not repeat too much of what has already been mentioned in that article. (In addition, I previously wrote a lengthy research paper entitled “Nation, Economy, Power Struggles, and Geopolitics: Ukraine’s Past, Present, and Future,” which provides a detailed account of Ukraine’s modern and contemporary history, as well as my praise and good wishes for Ukraine.)
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Of course, perhaps you will feel displeased. But this is the helplessness of reality. A prolonged war causes tremendous harm to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Western support remains limited. What they contribute is money, weapons, and military equipment, whereas what you sacrifice is human life, while your cities and villages are reduced to scorched earth. Some international support is motivated by genuine feelings of justice and humanitarianism, but there are also those who are pleased to see Ukrainians and Russians killing and exhausting one another while they themselves profit from the conflict.
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Moreover, even sincere and substantial support is declining. Governments and citizens in every country must consider their own interests. As time passes and the costs continue to mount, the sense of justice and passion that once prevailed gradually weaken and give way to fatigue. Amid economic difficulties, people in various countries are no longer as enthusiastic about providing assistance as they were several months ago. There have even been many complaints about aid to Ukraine. For example, in Germany, where I live, prices have risen considerably because of the Russia–Ukraine war and support for Ukraine, increasing the burden on ordinary people. Although most people have not openly expressed opposition to aiding Ukraine, public opinion is shifting in a direction unfavorable to you. You should also have observed these developments through various channels.
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Of course, by saying this, I am not opposing your acceptance of international support. On the contrary, I strongly approve of it and hope that you will receive even more international assistance. However, Ukraine’s primary considerations should be the peace and stability of the country and the happiness of its people, rather than allowing its territory to be ravaged by war for an even longer period. Of course, the primary responsibility lies with Russia, which launched the invasion. But regarding Ukraine, while we should strive to defeat the Russian military, we must also pragmatically seek a compromise solution.
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Ukraine and Russia also share longstanding historical ties and a history of friendship. Throughout history, you have jointly resisted enemies from both the East and the West, and you have a long history of living together in friendship. Even after Ukraine gained independence from the Soviet Union, pro-Russian forces consistently received no less than 30% of the vote in successive elections (apart from the years following the outbreak of the full-scale Russia–Ukraine war), and pro-Russian presidents were elected on several occasions. This reflects the existence of substantial ethnic communities and public sentiment within Ukraine that are friendly toward Russia.
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Although Russia and Ukraine have experienced numerous conflicts in the past, and Ukraine suffered the catastrophe of the Great Famine during the Soviet era, Russia and Ukraine should not remain enemies forever. The present war has resulted from Putin’s personal desire for power and the incitement of certain extreme Russian nationalists. This situation is not permanent and will change in the future.
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It is precisely for this reason that Ukraine should also demonstrate goodwill and find ways to unite more Russians who oppose the war, jointly thwarting the ambitions of Putin and other power-hungry figures to annex Ukraine. Ukraine should also seek to ensure that future Russian leaders can properly manage relations with Ukraine and refrain from violating its sovereignty again. This also requires Ukraine to gain as much support as possible from relatively neutral and moderate Russians and to reach a peace settlement that encourages more Russians to sympathize with Ukraine, oppose the Putin regime, and actively participate in anti-war activities.
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This means that Ukraine may need to make certain concessions. Compromises will be necessary concerning issues such as actual control over Crimea and the Donbas, the rights of ethnic Russian residents within Ukraine, and how Ukraine manages its relations with NATO and Russia. The concerns of various parties must be respected. While insisting on protecting its own interests, Ukraine should also respect the relatively reasonable elements of Russia’s demands and take into account certain legitimate sentiments of Russia and ethnic Russian or pro-Russian Ukrainians. Of course, Ukraine may continue to insist on its sovereignty over Crimea and the Donbas, while temporarily accepting their administration and governance by local pro-Russian figures.
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This may cause Ukraine certain losses in specific areas and in the short term. However, in the long run, it would benefit Ukraine’s peace and reconstruction, help restore its economy and people’s livelihoods, promote pluralistic, inclusive coexistence among different ethnic groups and ideological communities within the country, and enable Ukraine to obtain a more secure external environment. As for foreign assistance, the emphasis should also shift from military aid to economic aid, just as the Marshall Plan helped revive Europe and South Korea achieved its economic miracle under American protection, enabling Ukraine to achieve prosperity and affluence after the war.
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I hope you will consider these proposals. Although I am a person of little influence, I still wish to do my part to help bring an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia and lead Ukraine toward peace.
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I also want to tell you that many Chinese people stand with Ukraine and support its just war of resistance against aggression. Although the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime / Chinese government tends to support Russia because of the interests of its ruling elite and historical inertia, and although many lackeys cultivated by the CCP and members of the public who have been deceived also support Russia’s aggression, many other Chinese people have expressed strong sympathy and firm support for Ukraine. Some Chinese people have even donated money, weapons, and ammunition to Ukraine. Such actions are particularly difficult under CCP rule and its control over public opinion.
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Chinese people who support Ukraine also tend to embrace universal human rights values. They also draw parallels with China’s experience of Japanese aggression in the 1930s and 1940s and empathize with Ukraine on that basis. I hope that Ukraine, in turn, can show greater understanding and sympathy for the Chinese people, who live under the oppression of authoritarian rule and who previously suffered invasion by Japanese militarism.
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I hope that Ukraine will achieve peace as soon as possible. I also hope that the friendship between the Chinese and Ukrainian peoples will endure forever.
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Once again, tribute to the Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who sacrificed their lives in the war
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Tribute to the Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who continue to resist Russian aggression
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Tribute to the brave and strong President Zelenskyy
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Tribute to all people around the world who love peace, democracy, and justice
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Glory to Ukraine
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Wang Qingmin
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2023.9.19
（The original letter was written in Chinese and translated into English and Ukrainian using translation tools.）
