19 March 2013 Address by Dmitry Firtash

Address by Dmitry Firtash To the Business Community of Russia

Dear colleagues, partners and friends!

Ukraine and Russia are on the verge of war.

Leave the politicians to understand the causes of everything happened. But the situation has deteriorated so much that now nobody has a right to stand aside.

So the representatives of business have to say their weighty utterance. Unless disaster happened.

Yesterday, at its meeting the Russian Federation Council gave permission for the use of the Russian armed forces on the territory of Ukraine.

On behalf of the business community of our country representing all its regions from the West to the East and from the North to the South, we appeal to you as credible and responsible members of the business community in your country with a call to use all your influence on your government for urgent intermediation aimed at preventing conflict transition in hot stage.

We, businessmen, as nobody else know that any issues can be resolved at the negotiating table. I am sure you understand that there are no and cannot be any winners in this war – everybody will lose.

Military conflict in Europe would not be local and not be limited to our region. It will certainly affect the political and economic situation in the entire European continent and the whole world.

Human lives are the most valuable thing that we can and therefore must save.
 
On behalf of the Ukrainian business community,
 
Yours faithfully,
 
Dmitry FIRTASH
President of the Federation of Employers of Ukraine
on behalf of the Presidium of the Board of the Federation of Employers of Ukraine