A year has passed since Russia invaded Ukraine and the outcome of this war remains uncertain – despite the recent tank deliveries to Ukraine from Western countries. It is the first conflict of its kind and magnitude in Europe since the Second World War and highlights the divergence of views on peace, even within the peacebuilding practice. When a country is attacked, is military retaliation the way to peace?
These divergent views are also present within the Swiss platform for peacebuilding KOFF, which addressed them in a series of roundtables in 2022. In this first issue of 2023, KOFF members look back at the four pillars discussed during the roundtables (media & information; migration, conflict & peace; peace & security; women peace & security) in relation to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
This issue also informs you regarding the Ukrainian community’s efforts to respond to the devastation caused by war, whether through establishing community dialogue groups, providing psycho-social services, or producing fair and ethical journalistic content. Lastly, it provides an overview of civil society’s position on Swiss foreign policy and war funding.
I wish you a pleasant read.
Sanjally Jobarteh, Editor of KOFF magazine