PEN Ukraine president: Ukrainians criticize Russian culture not because it is Russian
In an LSM.lv conversation, philosopher and PEN Ukraine president Volodymyr Yermolenko discusses how Russian culture contributes to Russian expansion and how a Nordic-Baltic-Black Sea alliance could help protect Eastern Europe.
LSM.lv has published a conversation with philosopher, essayist and PEN Ukraine president Volodymyr Yermolenko, touching on several questions concerning Ukraine, Russia and the region's future.
The role of Russian culture
One of the central topics is whether and how Russian culture and literature — consciously or unconsciously — have contributed to Russia's expansionist policy. Yermolenko explains that Ukrainian criticism of Russian culture is not simply because it is Russian by origin, but stems from deeper concerns about the role this culture has played in shaping and sustaining imperial narratives.
An idea for regional security
The conversation also addresses the possibility of closer cooperation among the Nordic countries, the Baltic states and the Black Sea region. According to Yermolenko, such an alliance could serve as an important tool to protect Eastern Europe from renewed attempts at re-imperialization.
Daily life in Ukraine under wartime conditions
A third part of the discussion turns to a more practical dimension — what would be valuable for Latvians to understand about everyday life for Ukrainians under constant strain and uncertainty, described as living "on the edge" both mentally and materially.
The interview was conducted by LSM.lv and offers the philosopher's perspective on the connection between culture and geopolitics, as well as on the potential of regional cooperation to strengthen security in Eastern Europe.
