32
able to each build their own regional
or structural economic "kingdoms,"
becoming well connected with global
multinational players.
In Ukraine, there has been no win-
ner among the oligarchs, but instead
different clans and their networks
compete for economic influence and
political power. Civil society is weak,
but the Maidan protests gave hope for
more democracy. In Russia, the story
is quite different. Here the Putin
regime has fought Russian oligarchs
from above in an attempt to regain
absolutist central power. Putin uti-
lizes any argument for centralization
and empire and employs both czarist
and Soviet nostalgia and ideologies to
meet his objective. Civic engagement
and decentralization is rather scary
for this worldview.
Ukrainians looking west were
interested in economic prosperity even
though, from an economic point of
view, this may had been more logically
achieved by developing a stronger
trade model with Russia. There con-
tinues to be great fear by many that
opening free markets would turn both
economies upside down.
Pacifism, "Just War" and
"Just Peace"
In today's Russia as well as in Ukraine
there is not much room for pacifism—
again a lesson from history that
"equate(s) pacifism with inaction,
believing that it will lead to disorder
and occupation by our enemies."
5
There is little doubt Ukraine cannot
win this war against the so-called sepa-
ratists, who are strongly backed by
Russia, but many Ukrainians consider
this a "just war" against aggression.
But considering the deep familial ties
that both countries share, how can
they justify destroying what they love?
6
In the broader ecumenical debate,
the priority is "just peace" instead of
"just war." In this view, pacifism
should not be confused with passive
behavior, but instead an active prac-
tice with a variety of creative steps. In
this model, social justice confronts
privilege, economic justice confronts
wealth, ecological justice confronts
consumption, and political justice
confronts power itself. Mercy, for-
giveness and reconciliation become
shared public experiences. The spirit,
vocation and process of peace are
transformed.
7
Peacemaking
Perspectives
We know that peace prayers during
Maidan helped calm the protests and
it is hopeful that such common
prayers continue. Christian witness
on both sides can unmask manipula-
tions and propaganda. But those who
creatively seek to keep and improve
communication need our support.
That is true for diplomatic (e.g., the
Minsk Accord) as well as civil efforts
(e.g., "Action Reconciliation," which
organizes summer work camps to
invite Russian and Ukrainian youth
to "neutral ground" in neighboring
countries
8
).Your prayers and support
are invaluable.
There is a dream of an independ-
ent Ukraine and Russia, united as sib-
lings, deeply united in common
heritage and history as only siblings
can be, but standing separately.
Peaceful cooperation would be central
to this dream, and reprocessing his-
torical conflicts would be done in a
peaceful, open, healing manner.
Burkhard Paetzold is PC(USA) regional
liaison for Central and Eastern Europe.
Notes
1. http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/
resources/12th%20OHCHR%20report%20on%20
Ukraine%20EN.pdf , 2, 17.
2. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-
33985325
3. Holodomor is "a man-made famine in the
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1932 and
1933 that killed an estimated 2.5–7.5 million
Ukrainians" (Wikiwand, www.wikiwand.com/
en/Holodomor; accessed December 17, 2015).
4. John P. Burgess, "Christian Witness in Ukraine:
The Role of Churches in the Ukrainian Search for
National Identity," First Things, October 2014, 33.
Article available online, www.firstthings.com/arti-
cle/2014/10/christian-witness-in-ukraine; accessed
December 17, 2015
5. Sergei Sorokin, "Pacifism and Patriotism in
Russia," OpenDemocracy, August 20, 2014;
www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/sergei-
sorokin/pacifism-and-patriotism-in-russia; accessed
December 17, 2015.
6. See the Judgment of Solomon: 1 Kings 3:23–28.
7. "Statement on the Way of Just Peace," World
Council of Churches, November 8, 2013; www.oik-
oumene.org/en/resources/documents/assem-
bly/2013-busan/adopted-documents-
statements/the-way-of-just-peace; accessed
December 17, 2015.
8. Action Reconciliation Service for Peace website,
summer camp information, www.asf-ev.de/en/sum-
mer-camps/summer-camps.html, accessed
December 17, 2015.
Resources
Learn more about Eastern Europe and our partners there in the March/April 2009 issue of
Horizons, which covers the Global Exchange to Eastern Europe. Order item HZN09210 through
Presbyterian Distribution Service, 800/524-2612; $4 plus shipping.
Please keep the Roma community in your prayers as they are particularly vulnerable as finding
ways to feed their families and buy medicine and fuel are even more challenging in this current
environment.
A