At the international security conference in Munich, a meeting was held with representatives of the Russian opposition. In her accepted the participation of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Garry Kasparov, Zhanna Nemtsova and Irina Shcherbakova, representative of the human rights group Memorial. The discussion was devoted to the views of politicians opposed to the Kremlin on the possible future of Russia.
Garry Kasparov appointed Ukraine’s victory in the war is a necessary condition for any positive change in Russian society. According to him, the Russian people must understand that Russia is losing. He described the return of Crimea annexed to Ukraine as the key to such an agreement. “Crimea is the basis of Putin’s mythology,” Kasparov said and called on Western countries to contribute in every possible way to Ukraine’s victory.
According to Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the West should not be afraid of the escalation of hostilities. On the contrary, he believes that a de-escalation and a truce on Kremlin terms would be unacceptable. “That means the thief would have managed to get away with the loot,” Khodorkovsky said. He sees the weakening of presidential power and the principle of separation and balance of powers as key to a successful democratic future for Russia.
Zhanna Nemtsova drew attention to the fact that many Russians do not know the details of the war in Ukraine and are not interested in it. She considered it important to educate Russians, using not only rational, but also emotional arguments. Irina Shcherbakova supported her. She stressed that the West should not be afraid of chaos if the current Russian government collapses. According to her, these fears are fueled by the Kremlin itself and must be overcome.
International Security Conference in Munich pass February 17-19. This year, its central theme is the war in Ukraine. The conference brings together leaders and high-ranking officials from many states, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and US Vice President Kamala Harris. The Russian delegation is not invited to Munich, contrary to the politicians in exile who oppose the Kremlin.
