is that right, olha?press conferences by putin. i mean, for the last year, not the last one, and if you will listen to him, you see that this is a president having no vision. he does not produce any vision of how he sees russian, how he sees the development of global policies. he keeps on recollecting the historical events he wants to restore as a new form. so, now he's bringing us back to the post—second world war period and trying to rearrange the european security and to undermine everything we face. so he never produces vision, he only brings us back to the historical elements he loved and he enjoyed. all right, so he is incapable of co—operating with you on a liberal democratic basis. kristina kvien, from america's point of view, do you want to see russia cooperate with the ukraine on a democratic basis? absolutely. i think it would be great if russia would cooperate with ukraine on a democratic basis! i think the problem — i agree with sergey and olha completely — that russia is not a liberal democr

let's go to you then, olha. i think. go to you then, olha.t been put very simply. we will become stable, free, and independent of... of the cult of a — independent of... of the cult of a leader. so it is a great dream _ of a leader. so it is a great dream of— of a leader. so it is a great dream of many ukrainians not to know _ dream of many ukrainians not to know the — dream of many ukrainians not to know the name of a minister or a prime — know the name of a minister or a prime minister. because they are changing. but the country and the — are changing. but the country and the principles are remaining, and that is what democracy is. and that is the expectation of the stability and that he in europe to make sure _ and that he in europe to make sure that _ and that he in europe to make sure that there is a freedom of choice. — sure that there is a freedom of choice. but _ sure that there is a freedom of choice, but there is stability and — choice, but there is stability and we _ choice, but there is stability and we are not waiting for a fathe

first from olha.ian troops on the ukrainian borders, - in your opinion, an attempt to get the world's attention _ or is there a real danger behind it? and a similar sort of question? yes, indeed. my question is, why should the west care so much about ukraine - and what russia may do to it? deputy prime minister of ukraine olha stefanishyna take that one first. why should the west care about ukraine? well, i think the answer is as simple as it is because ukraine is part of the west. ukraine is at the west so whenever the west cares about any other borders, apart eastern borders, it should care the same about ukraine because ukraine cares about europe, ukraine is one of the largest trading partners and exporters, ukraine bares a huge territory and basically on the forefront, on the black sea security border, includes many of the other western countries and basically, if we're talking about democracy, democracy is about people and you should care not about ukraine, you should care about ukrainian people

the deputy prime minister of ukraine is olha stefanishyna.hough ukraine was not party to the talks this week, she has been presenting the government's position. kristina kvien is the acting ambassador for washington here in ukraine. carl bildt is a former swedish prime minister and one of europe's leading statesman. and professor sergey radchenko is a russian—born political scientist based in europe. that is our panel. welcome to you all. give them a round of applause. applause and remember, you too can join the conversation. it's #bbcglobalquestions. got a lot to get through in this programme so, without further ado, let's go to our first question from oksana cabal. oksana, your question, please. my question is, why has ukraine become a geopolitical flashpoint? deputy prime minister? we have been welcomed in the european family, we are becoming part of the west, and occasionally one day we will become a part of the eu and nato. this brings a new round of tensions from russia, and this shows that there is a new way and new room for manipulati