British Journalist: In Ukraine, the Nation, Not Its Leaders, Drives History

Ukrainian history differs from the histories of other nations in that it has no single, clear leadership tradition. The driving force behind its development has been the nation itself, whereas the histories of many other peoples are often associated with their leaders. British commentator Peter Dickinson, who has worked in Ukraine for many years, expressed this view during discussions marking Independence Day.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. He says that collective problem-solving makes Ukraine unique in terms of its experience. “History is usually the history of kings, prime ministers, and military commanders – in other words, people who move nations forward. But if you look at Ukraine, everything is the opposite here – it is the history of many people, it is the history of a nation that collectively decides what its future will be. You can see this both in the Revolution of Dignity and in this War of Independence. All these historical developments are being driven forward precisely by the Ukrainian nation. This is very, very unusual. Ukrainians are very conscious of who they are, what they are, and what they want. It is very noticeable. This is a good foundation for the future,” Dickinson says. According to him, even the problem of corruption in Ukraine differs from the same issue in Europe. Here, civil society is ahead of the state, helping to create institutions, develop them, expose corruption, and prevent it. Other Topics of Interest Spy Hub Allegations Surround Closure of Russian Consulate in Bonn Germany has ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn amid allegations it served as a hub for espionage and hybrid operations across Europe. “Yes, corruption is present in Ukraine, in the discourse and in discussions, and this affects the international perception of Ukraine. But corruption is not just a Ukrainian issue. Corruption also exists in EU member states that have joined the EU in recent years, and even in those that have been in the EU from the beginning. And most importantly, we know about corruption cases in Ukraine because there are investigations and exposures, because we know about them, because they are uncovered and investigated. This demonstrates the rapid development of institutions and civil society,” Dickinson says. Sergii Kostezh is a Kyiv Post Special Correspondent. He has worked for various Ukrainian TV channels as a reporter from the field and war zone.