Former President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga reveals her thoughts on the war in Ukraine and the fate of the Victory Monument in the TV3 program “Nothing Personal”.
In many of our minds, you are the president first. But basically you are a psychologist. What can you do for people in these past times of endless sadness.
Yes, I don’t think there’s such a cure for sadness. And the scenes that are to be watched from day to day are simply stunning. And I think there are actually two solutions. One is to pretend that this is not happening and ignore it.
And the other one has to accept it and experience it and even cry out … I have to cry every day if I watch it at some stage. But I am also trying to keep up with the different arguments within our European Union and NATO. And then I see that there floats, both for me a great relief, an understanding of what is finally Russia. And then, for example, it eases my heart and I have the hope that there will be some hope, whatever suffering it will take for Ukraine, that there will be someone there … It will not have been for free. That it will be awakened from its sweet sleep, its selfishness and its materialism and indifference from our partners in the European Union and NATO. Those who had fallen asleep in it. And more and more of these nations now understand what all of the past means, which has created the really mind-boggling, false philosophy and perception of the world that President Putin has cultivated since his early days in power.
In February 2014, the former President of Latvia said:
At what point will events turn to one side or the other. Here, I believe that the vigorous statements and messages from both the European Union and the United States are open and secret, confidential to President Putin and his entourage that this time, perhaps, Europe may be prevented and that America will not. This could help us avoid the worst case scenario. But if they continue to look cowardly and not even demand, as, for example, the agreement reached by President Sarkozy at the time in 2008 in Georgia on the withdrawal of Russian forces, they have not kept those promises. Well, then yes. Then I’m afraid there will be a worst case scenario.
What are your current forecasts?
You see, I am, of course, very concerned about the military superiority that Russia has. Because if they manage to bring it to an end. At least their officially recognized conquests of Donbass and Luhansk. Plus, of course, the unrecognized desire to chase all the way to Transnistria, to take Odessa as well. And amputate as a country Ukraine from its ports, access to the sea. Destroy … The main thing is to release … Imagine this rhetoric … What a shame that you will liberate a part of one country by simply wiping him with the earth. And then, occupying its paint and its smoky ruins. Because they have already started ethnic cleansing. Those who have not been killed or starved are now being deported somewhere to literally Siberia. Like our compatriots. Because there is ethnic cleansing at all possible levels of understanding the word. And there is one solution – that indeed, with the supply of strong weapons and adequate offensive weapons to the West … Given that NATO is in such a total panic over the nuclear war that Putin has threatened to “clap” Russian army units simply in rags. .
I just thought of myself. It is not so surreal that you, as you say, will hopefully kill as many people as possible. That we have come so far that we hope so.
Yes. You must not wish harm to another. You really can’t let anyone vote. But it goes so far as to see that the Ukrainian people and state are either being destroyed here. Do we have to destroy the people who are the attackers? And in such a situation, I also think about my sins in heaven. But I cannot find love in them in my heart. And as some suggest, pray for your enemies and send them feelings of love for themselves. I think so – yes, as if that were right from a spiritual point of view, but my heart refuses to do so.
As you suggest, Russia will be perceived in any international organization, meeting or forum, even if there is a change of power, there will be a change of regime. Because there will still be people in the country whose relatives or who themselves raped young children killed young women. How do you stand up. Russia’s future?
They will inevitably have to be accepted as participants. The same thing will happen with the collapse of the Soviet Union, for which President Putin is so crying and sorry. And many others with him. Latvians, of course. Familiar Latvians are crying a lot for this collapse of the Soviet Union as the golden age of our nation. Now they have explained, I think everyone has not yet understood – they live in a different world of spirituality and imagination. I would say they live in a parallel universe.
May 9. Monuments. Symbol of the USSR time. What should we do with all this here in Latvia?
I think this monument needs to be demolished. This army has discredited itself in Ukraine with proven crimes against humanity and war crimes. That the monument is dedicated to her – we have every right to remove her on moral grounds.
We have such monuments in almost every second city in Latvia. In recent years, the Russian embassy has had special programs that contracted with local governments, and the Russian budget provided money to restore and polish the monuments. Do they even do that?
To the extent that our legislation also provides sufficient authority to make decisions about the quality of our environment, local governments should also be held accountable for what they have adopted and done.
But the agreement that was signed, within the framework of which we are supposed to be obliged to keep this monument in Riga. I think in my eyes …
I am not speaking here as a lawyer, I am speaking as a human being. As far as I understand the legal and moral arguments, there is no reason why this pillar of shame should not be removed.
Nowadays, there is often a feeling that when you go to sleep, there is a feeling of guilt that you can calmly go to a warm bed … to sleep.
Look, I’m using my white magic. I visualize, as those who run Ukraine, that they have a security yard around them. I ask all angels, if there are any, and if others say we see angels, where are you? Save those in the cellars of Mariopol. Or I visualize how Harry Potter’s big monster spider comes and wraps himself in his cobwebs so that he can no longer harm the world. Then I can fall asleep easier.
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