World need to join forces to get prepared for the upcoming global threats – Victor Pinchuk

The world is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, but even greater global threats lie ahead, so we need to join forces to get prepared for them, said Victor Pinchuk, founder of YES, Victor Pinchuk Foundation, and EastOne group, in his welcome speech at YES Brainstorming “Post-COVID = Pre-disaster? Steps towards Survival”, which has been organized by the Yalta European Strategy (YES) in partnership with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.

The world is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, but even greater global threats lie ahead, so we need to join forces to get prepared for them, said Victor Pinchuk, founder of YES, Victor Pinchuk Foundation, and EastOne group, in his welcome speech at YES Brainstorming “Post-COVID = Pre-disaster? Steps towards Survival”, which has been organized by the Yalta European Strategy (YES) in partnership with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.

“We got through COVID-19, but aren’t we living in a time that precedes even worse disasters? There are technological failures, climate change, and pandemics all around the world. Maybe, the war against COVID is a deadly threat, but perhaps this is only the first stage of what is looming over us. We will be able to fight it off only if the humanity works together,” he said.

Victor Pinchuk made it clear that, in his opinion, proper study of COVID-related lessons is the key to human’s survival.

“Are we capable of that? For me, this is the most important question right now. Is there confidence that humanity will learn the COVID-related lessons in order to survive? I am talking about survival, because I am sure that the very existence of humanity is now at stake,” he said.

The YES founder added that Ukraine’s participation in the global dialogue is extremely important, as it has had to overcome many catastrophes over the last century.

“Ukraine can be a powerful participant to the dialogue, as we have something to say. Over the past 100 years Ukraine has suffered from catastrophes more than any other country in the world: two world wars, Hitler and Stalin, the Holocaust and the Holodomor, the nuclear disaster, and the war in the very heart of Europe since 2014. We know firsthand what a catastrophe is, and that is why Ukraine should participate and be heard in such a conversation,” he said.

Victor Pinchuk underlined that participation in overcoming global threats is not only a challenge but also a new opportunity for Ukraine.

“Since YES was founded back in 2004, we have been constantly emphasizing that Ukraine is an important part of the European future. And in today’s world, it is clear what the Ukrainian path is to look like: we should participate in overcoming global threats. Then Europe and the world will need us and turn to us, rather than just us to them,” concluded the YES founder.