"Ukraine needs a frank discussion about how we see our country in the future: the way it was before 2014; before a full-scale war; something new is planned; something modern; what exactly we want to change. And it is Ukrainians who should initiate this discussion. They are the main beneficiary, the customer of these changes," says Liski.
"Very often we see either populism or outright socialism, something extreme like everyone should be hanged, shot, starting with oligarchs, MPs, officials, even sometimes entrepreneurs, that the military should come to power.
But it is Ukrainians who must be the main beneficiary and main customer of this discussion. First and foremost, those caring people who believe in this country, who are fighting for it, often with weapons in their hands or in the rear, but who are giving up their most valuable things for it. In order to bring victory closer, to give them a real, honest motivation to win, we need to understand what the country will look like," the businessman says.
He adds that the restoration should not be just about rebuilding old hospitals, junctions, crossings, or old schools, "perhaps even where they are no longer needed". We need a new urbanism, new entrepreneurs, and Ukraine in the new global economy.
"We need to understand where our growth points are. And most importantly, how to create a new quality of life for Ukrainians so that they have a real motivation to return from abroad. Not just because we don't let men leave or we put pressure on those who have left, but a real motivation. A real motivation to donate the last of our money to buy drones, to help the army. The real motivation to send, excuse me, one's children to war. That is, they have to see and believe in the new Ukraine, in this vision, in the picture of a new world in which Ukraine will be a bright example," says Liski.
Before that, he adds, Ukrainians should stop separating themselves from the state and become the main drivers of change.
"There should be an agreement on the vision of the new country among the government, society, and entrepreneurs. And no matter how pretentious it may sound, we need to create a new social contract. A new type of contract where Ukrainians consider themselves the owners of this country and this territory. Very often, unfortunately, I hear that the state is somewhere else. They are all good and bad, but they are not us, and we are quietly doing things differently here," says the chairman of the EFI Group supervisory board. "And this is what needs to change first and foremost."
If we don't start thinking about what kind of country we are building, the victory will not be so victorious, according to Liski.
"In business, if you want to build something, you need a plan and a picture. It's a classic, if you don't have a specific plan, a vision of where you are going, you become a resource for other countries or other entities. And believe me, everyone has a plan for Ukraine. Russia has its own plan, and we have a rough idea of it. Our European partners also have Plan A, Plan B and Plan C, and they are satisfied with them. For example, the plan is for 5-8 million educated, able-bodied, cool Ukrainians to stay in Europe, and they are happy with that, too.
And it's definitely not true to say that anyone needs this except us. And the Americans, one might say, have a plan that Ukraine is a frontline that protects Europe militarily, and that's it, this can also be a Plan C.
Therefore, it is precisely this Ukrainian subjectivity and vision of the new Ukraine that we want to build right now, to present it, first of all, to Ukrainians, the military, entrepreneurs, and volunteers, what we are fighting for, to agree on it all now, this is a very important story," Liski notes.
The story is not about money and redistribution of spheres of influence, but about confidence in the future.
"If we present a calculated plan for Ukraine's future, agreed upon by society, which we believe in ourselves, which we can sell to Europeans, in which they will see not only us but also themselves; sell it to Americans and even to our northern neighbours (they will understand that we are strong here, we are here for a long time, here, maybe, they need to back off), the victory will be much easier, more convincing and faster.
Agree, believe and present. Then another story begins," the businessman concluded.