Borys Shefir, co-founder of 95 Kvartal, has moved to Germany: "We need to make peace and be friends, war is not with Russia, but with Putin"
Borys Shefir, co-founder of Kvartal and former business partner of Zelenskyy, left for Germany with his children. He believes that there will be no winner in the war between Ukraine and Russia and advocates friendship between the countries.
Borys Shefir said this in an interview with Radio Liberty, Censor.NET reports.
On the Russian language and Russian culture in Ukraine
"I speak Russian. I love the Russian language, Russian culture... I can't watch Pushkin's monuments being destroyed in the country. For me, this is stupidity. If I were next to him (Zelenskнy - Ed.), I would say: let's stop this and let's be friends. But there are completely different attitudes there.
I know the Ukrainian language, I speak it perfectly. But my mother tongue is Russian, not on a national basis. It's just that I was taught in Russian all my life. My parents spoke it. So I'm not going to stop speaking it. And I think what is happening to Russian now is wrong.
We are at war with Putin, not with Russia. The fact that the people there have gone crazy is a matter of course. I do not believe that culture is divided into nationalities. This is my worldview. And what happened here, when we started rejecting Russian culture, is wrong.
I did not say that I like today's Russia. I like Russian culture - these are different things. You are confusing all the time. I categorically do not like what is happening in Russia today. But I do like Russian culture, writers, composers."
On friendship with Russia
"That would be great. Of course, of course, we need to be friends again. In general, we need to be friends with everyone, including Russia. Putin is not eternal, he will die, and normal people will come. And with them, you can always...
Well, theoretically, we've lived together all our lives. Well, at least I have. I lived in the Soviet Union all my life. And we got along very well. I hope that we will have great relations with Russia as soon as they recover from their madness. We should definitely come and say: no, no, we need to be friends.
You see, I'm not in the stream of today's state beliefs, so I shouldn't be there. I'll make a mess of things. They have this policy, and I have a different worldview."
On the end of the war
"I think there will be no winner. We will have to make a compromise, they will have to abandon something.
Apparently, the world is in no hurry to help us. If they helped us as we need, then yes. But as it is, sanctions are not working, and ammunition is given only once in a while. This is no way to defeat Russia.
So we will have to make some kind of peace. But I am not the one who decides. I have never believed that I am completely right. This is just my opinion. I think we will have to negotiate something. And I would like it to happen sooner rather than later."
On his relationship with Zelenskyy
"With the president, no. For two years I haven't called or spoken to him. He is working with other people now. He doesn't communicate with me, doesn't call me. My calls there go unanswered.
So there is no relationship. And, you know, I am a senior comrade to him. Roughly speaking, I took part in his formation. But now he listens to other people and does things a little differently from what I like. That's the decision he made."
