"An open world is not a naïve world." — Nataliia Popovych at the Open World Conference 2025

Niels Bohr saw openness as a universal value, a virtue that drives a democratic society and prevents the world from nuclear self-destruction. But perhaps these principles do not work when applied to an imperialistic state that never repented and never reformed. The Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and now the Russian Federation never dreamt about an open world but merely were rebranding themselves with the same intention—to impose their will on others.

She reminded that during the era of ‘glasnost’ in the late Soviet Union, the West thought of Russia being capable of openness, but Russia's opening up to visits of foreign scientists and security specialists was a facade enabled only by the extreme vulnerability of the empire at the time. When the world was celebrating "glasnost”, repressions of Ukrainians continued as we watched our poets and dissidents like Vasyl Stus being killed in the Soviet prisons as late as 1985. Nevertheless, it is in the spirit of openness that Ukraine has become nuclear-free and given away its nuclear arsenal.

When we speak of openness, we speak of the free exchange of ideas, transparent institutions, and accountable power. Something that was not present in the Soviet Union and is not present in modern-day Russia. Nataliia Popovych reminded that in 2021, 49% of Russians preferred the Soviet system; only 16% preferred a Western-style democracy. “Openness is symmetrical only between partners who share values. In the hands of an imperial state, openness becomes a weapon,” said Popovych. 

She stressed that any discussion of openness before justice is dangerous: “We need accountability for war crimes, full reparations, demilitarization, decolonization of Russian imperial identity, and guarantees for Ukraine’s sovereignty. Only then can we talk about a real open world.” 

Today, as Ukraine is defending an open democratic Europe from Russia's imperial project, we must finally build an ecosystem that can protect our open societies. If openness is to survive—if democracy is to survive—it must be anchored in justice.

Ukraine has already shown openness by giving up nuclear weapons, embracing democracy, and aligning with European values. Now, Popovych argued, the world must show openness to Ukraine—in the form of justice, not dialogue with its aggressor.