On the day of our interview, Karyna was preparing for a debate on one of the channels about the pressing issue of potentially revoking the S status from Ukrainian refugees and celebrating her three-year-old son's birthday. Nevertheless, she set aside half an hour for a meaningful and emotional conversation.

Tell us about your activities. What do you do in Switzerland?

I represent the Geneva branch of the Ukrainian Society in Switzerland and contribute to organizing events and rallies.
In my daily life, I am a professional translator. I also work for a non-governmental international organization within the United Nations system, focused on protecting journalists' rights and freedoms (IRFS). We engage in human rights advocacy in countries like Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan and work on issues regarding Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. These are the main areas of my work.

You often translate diplomatic meetings. How optimistic or pessimistic are you about the situation in our country?

If we talk, for example, about the United Nations and diplomatic institutions, countries are willing to help us, although the war has been ongoing for almost two years, and Ukraine's presence in the information field is gradually diminishing.

This is part of the problem, but it's also part of our work. Supporting Ukraine in the information field is a collective effort. We need to organize rallies, events, roundtables, and panels. We have a network of activists around the world (Communities Army of Ukraine) engaged in such activities. So, through joint efforts, we launch international information campaigns.
However, it's worth noting that partner countries are always willing to help but don't always know how. Therefore, visits by our officials are an excellent opportunity to communicate what we specifically need. For example, when delegations present a telecommunications reconstruction plan and outline precise needs, it's very effective. Representatives from the Japanese mission can then choose how to assist from this clear list. This happens in other areas as well.

Our Permanent Mission (the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations and other international organizations) also plays a significant role in information activities. Moreover, many are willing to work with us as community representatives to support, for example, our ability to organize high-level events.

You have had very successful appearances on Swiss federal channel talk shows. I was genuinely applauding when you were on. How did you become involved in this activity?

I am trying to remember how I was initially invited to the first program. Television producers had my contacts as a translator because I used to provide simultaneous translation for our officials on RTS (https://www.rts.ch/), like for an interview with Ms. Ambassador of Ukraine, Iryna Venediktova.

I believe they reached out to me for the first time. My first debate was with Thomas Greminger, the former Secretary-General of the OSCE. It was quite interesting. After that, I started receiving regular invitations. The upcoming debates I've been invited to are related to the issue of the S status. The Confederation has released a plan to address this status, and discussions are underway. I was invited to share my opinion on this matter.

How do you prepare for such events?

Sometimes, before such events, I consult diplomat acquaintances on correctly presenting certain points. Sometimes, I need to prepare extensively, like when it comes to cluster munitions. That's a very complex subject. I had to read the convention on these munitions in great detail, understanding what was given and what was adopted. Sometimes, experts in specific fields and diplomats assist me.

Plus, we usually have preliminary discussions with reporters. They ask for my opinion on specific issues and sometimes consider that when preparing the debates to choose the most relevant topics for discussion.

What is your opinion on the potential lifting of the S status? What might happen next?

I understand that there is a certain financial burden on the Confederation. On the other hand, Switzerland does not engage in arms re-export, does not assist Ukraine with arms, and always emphasizes its focus on humanitarian aid. This includes a significant contribution that encompasses supporting refugees. So, in a way, these are commitments the country has made.

Regarding the direct question of lifting the S status, I think, in general terms, Switzerland will align with the EU and make decisions similar to those made by EU countries regarding how to continue these statuses, how to remove them, and when.

Currently, the Confederation is simply preparing for possible scenarios and creating plans for acting under certain circumstances. This is unrelated to the current status of refugees and does not affect it. Right now, debates are taking place on a wide range of issues related to the status of temporarily displaced individuals. For example, whether people with work contracts should have their permits extended under different terms, whether simplified procedures should be introduced, whether there will be additional exceptions regarding the return of Ukrainians home and more. These are matters for the future.

As for payments to Ukrainians returning home, Switzerland is indeed preparing to assist them in rebuilding their lives in Ukraine. There will be various payments for different categories of people. The exact amounts, timing, and other details are currently under discussion.

In terms of timelines, there are no specific dates. It depends on when the conflict is resolved and the pace of territory recovery. Right now, we're talking about 6-9 months after our victory. However, it's crucial to understand that these are preliminary plans that have not been finalized. These are just recommendations. Switzerland is preparing for potential scenarios, and they need to be ready for various circumstances, allocate budgetary resources, and plan accordingly.

So, I want to emphasize again that there's no immediate plan to remove the S status from Ukrainians. The discussions are about future plans.

What points would you like to emphasize regarding the issue of the S status?

I believe that it will be revoked after the war ends. However, many Ukrainians want to return to Ukraine and are waiting for the moment it becomes safe. They will, of course, leave. During the debates, I emphasized that the knowledge and skills they've gained here will be crucial for these people. It's worth facilitating their acquisition.

But there's another aspect to consider: there will be people who have already integrated, found their lives here, and will seek opportunities to stay. In this case, a situation could arise where people live in Switzerland for 10 years without documents, hiding and working illegally. Then, they'll attempt to legalize their status. Even now, the Confederation has a program called PAPIRUS, which deals with legalizing illegal residents. However, why not give people with jobs, those who have already started their businesses, the opportunity to stay legally? This is a question that needs to be raised.

Overall, migration issues are crucial for voters preparing to elect the Federal Council, which is why this issue is being discussed.

What concerns you the most about the refugee issue? What would you like to see most?

I wouldn't want people to forget that their country has a war. Right now, I meet many Ukrainians who somehow shield themselves from news and events. I don't want to accuse anyone; everyone helps as they can and as they know how. Some donate, some support local associations, some volunteer here, and some do it in Ukraine. This is very heartening. However, if people completely isolate themselves from this issue, block out negative information, and think they can't help, that's not okay. With 5-10 francs, some time, and the desire, you can always help. Many wonderful things are happening at the local level. Everyone can find a way to get involved based on their capabilities, skills, and knowledge. I'm very inspired by people who take action.

For instance, there was a girl, Dasha, who came to Geneva from another canton to participate in rallies and then started organizing events in Bern. At first, she didn't know how to do it, but she saw and heard, and I advised her on whom to contact to understand the details. And now, she has obtained permission and started taking action. Examples like these are very inspiring.

But currently, we're organizing far fewer rallies because fewer people are attending. This bothers me a lot, and it's somewhat embarrassing. I wish people would remember and at least remind others about their home country in their social media posts and share updates and local initiatives if they can't organize something themselves.

It's essential to show foreigners that we care about our state. Why should they help us if we don't want to do it ourselves? So, my greatest fear is that people will ultimately detach from the events in Ukraine. In my opinion, this is very wrong.

We have war in our country, and it's ongoing. We need the support of foreigners, including ordinary Swiss people, as there might be issues they'll have to vote on. We must communicate what's important to us and explain why it's essential to present our narratives in a way that the average Swiss person can understand.

I agree with you. We also emphasize constantly in our meetings with Ukrainians that the most important ambassadors of Ukraine are the Ukrainians themselves and our talented Ukrainian youth.

I want to ask you, in your opinion, how do the Swiss perceive us now?

I don't have a universal answer to that because people always have different perceptions of different individuals. I mostly receive positive feedback from the Swiss about Ukrainians. I have yet to hear super negative comments. I haven't heard that they dislike us being here, either. In my surroundings, I have yet to encounter that. It could be because I'm surrounded by many Ukrainians who are trying to do something: integrating, learning the language, and helping. The Swiss appreciate that. In 90% of cases, we receive very reasonable, pleasant, and positive comments from them.

Another question: it's common to hear that Ukraine must sit down for negotiations with Russia. I'm interested in your thoughts on this.

Such questions arise primarily because the war drags on, and no one sees its end, but everyone understands that something needs to be done. However, there is an official state position that we support and promote, and I fully agree with it: we cannot sit down for negotiations from a place of weakness. There may be plans for negotiations at the state level, but the time for them has yet to come. It is evident that such talks would only allow Russia to regroup, wait, and restart the war. So, until we reclaim all our territories and have full security guarantees, negotiations should not be on the table. Security guarantees are a separate issue dealt with by diplomats on an international level.

For the average person, of course, they would like everything to end, and they wish for a compromise. But, as practice shows, it won't happen, just like there won't be long-term peace results under current conditions. This is my personal opinion.

What's your view on the elections in Switzerland? What might change in the migration issue or the issue of arms sales, for example?

As I mentioned earlier, I think Switzerland will adopt a refugee policy that does not differ from the European Union's policy.

As for the re-export of arms, it's a more delicate matter. We see how many times the Swiss have attempted to push through this re-export—through the resolution or other means - but there have been no changes so far. Unfortunately, I don't have a positive view on this matter. When we organized a panel discussion in Geneva on this topic, we invited Roger Nordmann, the president of the Social Democratic Party, who actively advocates for the re-export of arms. Mr. Nordmann mentioned at the time that, although he favors full arms exports, he understands that it won't pass in Switzerland. But they will continue to push for the re-export issue.

Currently, Switzerland has donated a demining vehicle to Ukraine and provided a substantial grant for clearing our territories of landmines. To me, this indicates dissatisfaction with the prohibition on re-exports and an attempt to compensate for it by assisting in other areas.

Nevertheless, we continue to emphasize that we need arms and will continue to do so.

Regarding arms re-export, I would like to believe that it's just a matter of time. Unfortunately, in any case, it involves a lengthy period. If these legislative changes pass in Parliament and are put to a vote, the Swiss people will have the final say. I have no certainty about how they will vote. But I understand that if we don't explain to them why we need arms, emphasize the need to protect ourselves, and don't sit down for negotiations without reclaiming our territories, the vote may not be in our favor.

In one of the debates, someone once mentioned to me that Russia is our neighbor, and we will have to negotiate with them at some point. I replied, "Yes, they are our neighbors, and we will have to negotiate somehow, but we won't do it while this neighbor is standing in our house with a weapon."

I really liked the book "Confrontation" by Raphaël Glucksmann. He talks about all these events from a europarliamentarian's perspective and tries to explain how people turned a blind eye to Crimea for eight years, as well as to Georgia and Chechnya. He shows how convoluted all these schemes are. He also mentions that more could have been done at the European Union level at the time. Unfortunately, Russia is still circumventing sanctions and making money. As far as I remember, they made 15 billion dollars more than they should have.

Thank you for your responses; they are very important. Finally, I have a personal question. You are a young and charming woman. How do you manage to do it all? How many hours do you have in a day?

To be honest, I never have enough time (laughs sincerely). Sometimes, I work a lot, and other times, I give myself a break because, you know, there are moments when you need to recharge to continue working and helping. I have a certain responsibility to my country, and I do all this because it's important to me. But I've learned to filter proposals and events. When I'm offered something to do, and I don't see any benefit from it, or if it looks like it will be an energy drain with an unclear end goal, I decline. And when I run out of energy, I have a team.

The key point is having friends, a team, and family. One person can never do it all.

There were moments in our association when one person or another would say, "I'm sorry, but I need a break for a week; I'm not doing volunteer work right now."

And that's okay. To me, this shows the strength of a person who understands their needs because trying to help when you have no resources but still doing it anyway is impossible, wrong, and counterproductive. It's better to plan one event but do it excellently than plan five and do them half-heartedly.

You should also always ask yourself: "Why am I doing this, for whom, and what is the purpose?" and rely on your support system.

In reality, it's super cool that such a support system has emerged. Even though the war is a difficult and painful situation, it has brought many great people into my life. This kind of community was sorely lacking before – Ukrainians with whom I share cultural and moral references and common values. I'm very grateful that they exist.

We have a significant mission – to shape a different perception of Ukraine. When the war is over, questions like arms re-export will no longer be relevant, but cultural issues will remain, and then we can focus more on them. Of course, it's also important because, through cultural events, we are conveying narratives that are important to us. So our joint work is essential both now and in the future.