Cinta Depondt

lead Ukraine & Eastern Europe @PAXvoorvrede
Conflict transformation, Non-Violent Communication, dialogue, peacebuilding: Ukraine, South Caucasus, Eastern Europe

[volodymyr dubovyk @VolodymDubovyk]

Few things those who now suggest removing Zelensky as an obstacle for peace need to understand.

1. He represents consensus within Ukrainian society rejecting unfair, not durable, not backed up by adequate mechanisms "peace". The one which dooms Ukraine to further aggression, more destruction, suffering.

2. Recent attacks have consolidated Ukrainians around him. People rally around the flag. They see these attacks as not attacks on Zelensky but on Ukraine. His ratings go up now. They have gone down gradually over the last three years reflecting the hard lot that he got with this God-awful war on his hands. Now, from the domestic politics standpoint, he should be grateful to the White House for boosting his standing.

3. Thus, he would have easily won elections if they were to happen now. In a landslide. Even few weeks ago most people would have thought that this would be a difficult task for him (still was quite doable, though). So if they think that they can remove him through elections, they have done everything to undermine that plan.

4. Even if one imagines that Zelensky is gone, to lose an election, the new president would contunue the same course of action. There is no political space for someone to come power who would agree with a "peace" equaling capitulation. The could easily be an even less flexible leader.

[Cinta Depondt @CintasDialogue]

Beware what "peace" you wish for...

[Tamara Krawchenko 🌻🍉 @T_Krawchenko]

Russia prepared “execution lists" targeting teachers, journalists etc. to bring the population to heel. In all Russian occupied territories there are torture & detention facilities where people disappear. Kremlin orders to kill off civil society are being fulfilled.

[Eric Chenoweth @EricDChenoweth]

Worth posting the various videos of this b/c it is as impressive as The Baltic Way human chain in 1989 protesting against Soviet occupation. Georgians want their country back from a pro-Russian oligarch & political party.
#StandWithGeorgianPeople
#StandWithSalome
#FreeElections

[Cinta Depondt @CintasDialogue]

Goed draadje tegen onzin:

[Bakhti Nishanov @b_nishanov]

Overt, undue and excessive political interference by unelected oligarchs is new — at least in this century — to most Americans but those of us who’ve lived through this in the post-Soviet space in the 90s/early 2000s know this does not end well for the oligarchs or governments

[Cinta Depondt @CintasDialogue]

@geertjanhahn @Perestrojkast In veel opzichten net als de Maydan-protesten in Oekraïne in 2013-2014.

[COL (Ret) Jeff in 🇦🇹 @JeffFisch]

Well, Ukraine, the US owes you a formal apology. Russia says any weapon system using US GPS makes the US complicit. Here's cockpit images from Russian jets to attack you... using US GPS (because Russian GLONASS sux).

That's how stupid both Russia and @TuckerCarlson are.

[Cinta Depondt @CintasDialogue]

Important thread on the interconnectedness of countries with European, democratic ambitions in Russia's neighborhood...

[Matthew Light @MattLightCrim]

"If Russia defeats Ukraine, the game is over" in the whole region, an Armenian colleague recently told me. How are the dramatic events now unfolding in Georgia, and the quieter but no less significant transformation in neighbouring Armenia, related to Ukraine's fate? A thread. 1/

[Anton Gerashchenko @Gerashchenko_en]

Even if you feel like you do not influence anything, like you can't do or change anything - remember the importance of conversation and empathy, especially in the darkest times.

The very fact of caring, curiosity, and conversation is support. It's visibility. It's an affirmation of existence. It is what also counteracts genocide and darkness.

We are all connected, and everything matters - both small and large deeds.

[Cinta Depondt @CintasDialogue]

Georgian ambassador to the Netherlands has resigned.

[Cinta Depondt @CintasDialogue]

@actfast @maria_drutska ... or join the Ukrainian army

[Cinta Depondt @CintasDialogue]

How to restore accountability as a basis for justice-based peace..? How to protect children, now and in the process of finding justice?
Heavy but fitting questions to be discussing today.

@TMCAsser #MATRA conference on strengthening @Ukraine's justice systems

[Cinta Depondt @CintasDialogue]

1000 days of full-scale Russian invasion in Ukraine; 10 years of war.
Ukraine's prosecutor general has registered 143.963 war crimes and over 200.000 civilian objects were hit by bombs and rockets.
Every Ukrainian is affected by this horrific war.

[Cinta Depondt @CintasDialogue]

Sad, sadder, saddest...
#Occupation is not #peace

[Oleksandra Matviichuk @avalaina]

In the occupied part of Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia oblast, local young men have been conscripted for the first time into "mandatory military service" in the Russian Armed Forces.
photo Євген Балицький / Telegram
source @HromadskeUA

[Cinta Depondt @CintasDialogue]

@akhalchi Особенно в чужой стране...

[Cinta Depondt @CintasDialogue]

I was kind of waiting for something like this to happen. I'd somehow expect different European security services would be, too.

Will someone start warning for escalation as investigation results come in...? 🙄

[WarMonitor🇺🇦🇬🇧 @WarMonitor3]

C-Lion1 submarine communications cable, laid along the bottom of the Baltic Sea between Finland and Germany, has been cut.

[Cinta Depondt @CintasDialogue]

Ik houd er niet van om "weg met [wie dan ook]" te roepen.
En tegelijk schat ik als conflictoloog in dat de samenhang in de samenleving beter af zou zijn zonder de haatzaaiende taal van deze meneer.

[Cinta Depondt @CintasDialogue]

Interesting perspectives.
We need to think about scenario's, possible and impossible options and outcomes and strategic goals much more than has been done over the past 3 years. Weapons are only of use (even for deterrence!) if there is a realistic readiness to use them.

[Ilya Matveev @IlyaMatveev_]

I feel like most of the debates about the resolution of the war in Ukraine miss the point. It's not about the occupied territories, NATO or security guarantees. It's about the future of the Ukrainian army.

A 🧵.

1/

[Cinta Depondt @CintasDialogue]

In the occupied part of Kherson oblast, #Ukraine, at least two men who fought against the Russian invasion between 2014-2021 hung themselves, as it was the only way they saw they could avoid being forcefully drafted into the #RussianArmy.
#occupation is not #peace

[Cinta Depondt @CintasDialogue]

Proportions and perspective...

[Chris Klomp @chrisklomp]

Sommige media in Israël noemen de gebeurtenissen in Amsterdam 'de nieuwe Holocaust'. Vijf gewonden. Als we zo gaan beginnen: hoe noemen we de moord op tienduizenden Palestijnen dan?