Exclusive Kyiv Post interview with prominent French intellectual and analyst, adviser and author Nicolas Tenzer – wherein he shared his contrary optimism for Ukraine’s future.

May 2, 2026

Kyiv Post met prominent French intellectual, Chair of the Center for Study and Research on Political Decision (CERAP), former Director of Aspen Institute (2010-2015), senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, Nicolas Tenzer, on the sidelines of the Kyiv Security Forum for an exclusive interview in which he shared his optimism for Ukraine’s future.

His position, against the background of other statements by representatives of the Western elite, is crystal clear and well-defined. Ukraine is not losing, but on the contrary – winning the war not only for its existence and freedom, but also in the interests of Europe. And the West could do more to support Ukraine and help it.

However, in his opinion, the challenges for Ukraine do not end there. What should Ukraine do after the war? How should it talk to the West? How should it build its policy in the future? He shared his thoughts about these questions – in our exclusive interview.

It’s a great pleasure to see you here at the Kyiv Security Forum, Monsieur Nicolas Tenzer. A few questions. Let’s start with the Kyiv Security Forum that opened today. First impressions, what are the main messages you’ve heard?

The message is certainly that Ukraine is stronger than ever. And I think that’s not only, I mean, the Ukrainian people, but Ukraine as a nation is stronger than ever.

And there is absolutely no doubt, not talking about wishful thinking, but about rational thinking, that Ukraine definitely will win the war.

What does it mean?

Winning the war is something very simple. It means that Russian troops must be completely withdrawn from Ukrainian territory, including, of course, Donbas and Crimea. I mean, there is absolutely no other way out.

And I am absolutely convinced, especially having heard what Budanov said, that, I mean, it’s a question of, I don’t know, months, maybe not, but a question of years.

After one year or two years, I am absolutely certain that we will not be talking anymore about any kind of peace deal with Russia, any kind of negotiation with Russia, any kind of compromise with Russia. I mean, that must be out, and that must not appear right now.

That’s my proposal that I made when I talked with the president or prime minister of different countries: just give it here and leave it here. Do not talk anymore about that.

From a French perspective, from a Parisian perspective and a European perspective, has Ukraine now finally been accepted as a legitimate member of Europe, civilization-wise, industrially, defensively, etc.?

I think that, yes, definitely. I mean, no one right now, not talking about, you know, I mean, the cronies like Russian cronies like Orbán was before, but maybe Fico and some others, no one can just say that Ukraine is not a true member of the European Union.

Ukraine is the nation that really will bring to the other European countries the historical consciousness they’ve lost.

And I think that, I will say even more, Ukraine is the Ukrainian nation per se. I mean, quite often the quintessence of European nations, which is a political nation, it’s not a negation like the Russians.

It’s a political nation that is able to fight, to define itself as a free nation. And really, I mean, it was already true with the Orange Revolution, especially even more with the Revolution of Dignity, that, you know, Ukraine is fighting for European values.

But no, I mean Ukraine is the main security provider in Europe, but not only in Europe, also for all the other parts of the world.

We see, you know, in the war in Iran. But I think, I mean, the legitimacy of Ukraine is unquestionable.

I will just add one thing, which is that in my view Ukraine is the nation that really will bring to the other European countries the historical consciousness they’ve lost.

Yesterday your book was launched in Ukrainian at the Mohyla Academy. Your takeaways, what were your main messages summarizing the book and looking forward?

First of all, never turn a blind eye to the crimes committed by the Russians and do not have double standards on international justice. International justice is a commitment, a true commitment. Basically.

Never forget that European history is written with the blood of the Jews murdered by the Nazis in concentration camps, but also in other places like Babyn Yar in Ukraine.

You know that 1.5 million of the 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis were Ukrainians. And now, I mean, the Ukrainian people are being murdered by the Russians, and they are fighting exactly the same way that my parents, who were resistance fighters during World War II, were fighting against the Nazi occupier.

So that’s the main message. The message is about crime. Never forget that crime is basically something that we have to deal with, and we have to punish all the criminals. International justice is not a matter for mediation or negotiation. And that’s why I am advising – the first chapter of my book is about crime.

I am writing in this book that we have to speak day after day about the crimes: war crimes, crimes against humanity, the crime of genocide and the crime of aggression committed by the Russians.

We have to continue talking about war crimes

We have to show the pictures of the children murdered by the Russians, of the women murdered, of the civilians, the elderly people. I mean, all the people. Because if we give up the principle of European civilization about the punishment of crime, then certainly the principles will be lost.

The second thing is, and which is important, very important, Ukraine right now is able to achieve its own strategic autonomy.

I remember the Deputy Minister of Defense talking to me in July 2023 during one of my visits to Ukraine about that. Basically, I consider that not having taken action in 2014 and even more in 2022 was a guilt of the European countries and of the US, of course, as well.

We should have taken action. And what I am analyzing in my book is the very reason for which we didn’t dare to take action, and about what, you know, the soft propaganda that prevented us from that, invading our minds, our souls, preventing us basically from taking action. So that’s part of the guilt.

We could have saved probably dozens of thousands of Ukrainian lives. We didn’t want to. And for me, that’s something haunting.

And I’m talking about the very reasons: what’s the strategic failure? How we have to basically re-frame our diplomatic roles – for me is absolutely vital.

https://www.kyivpost.com/interviews/75113