Matej Kandrik: The European Union proved to be miraculously capable of quick decisions

Matej Kandrik

The year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine changed the world’s attitude towards our country. Humanity discovered Ukraine as a developed European state. Matei Kandrik, chief executive officer of Bratislava’s Adapt Institute, shared with the Newssky on how the attitude towards Ukraine, the EU, NATO, and Russia has changed.

The biggest change in my perception of Ukraine is realizing how little I know about your country. Your history, culture, food, traditions, and politics are big enigmas for me. That’s very different from the rest of Slovakia’s neighbors, which I am no expert on, but I certainly have some basic knowledge about them. With Ukraine, shame is all mine, it is a very different situation, and I am actively trying to learn more about the country. I believe there is a huge potential for much more intensive cultural and public diplomacy, civic dialogue, and cooperation between our countries. In our eyes, Ukraine should not be defined only by war, suffering, and destruction only.  There is also great potential for intensive cultural and public diplomacy between Ukraine and Slovakia. Violence, cruelty, and tyranny once again symbolize Russia.

Russian Federation and the Soviet Union before are entities led for long decades by criminal, corrupted, autocratic regimes shy of no atrocities both on its own people and its neighbors. There is this pattern of violence, brutality, and tyranny reappearing in Russia’s history. This war is just another sign that the nature of Russia stays unchanged in this regard.

That should make us realize how little might change even when Putin is gone from Kremlin.

The EU proved much more capable of quick decisions and actions than I believed before. It was really a big and positive surprise for me. I think it’s also an important question that the EU is able to rise to the occasion and face a crisis in the way you would expect it. There is much talk about moving the EU’s political gravity from the Franco-German tandem towards Central Europe. I am not sure about it yet, but some internal dynamics of the Union are indeed changing significantly. My perception of NATO hasn’t changed much. The Alliance focuses on its core purpose, which is a collective defense of its members.

Українською

Maryna Kovalchuk, Newssky’s own correspondent (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland), head of the V5 Media project, contributed