Every government came to power with promises and slogans, yet none left behind a comprehensive national plan capable of surviving beyond the next election. We have seen dozens of reforms, hundreds of programs, and thousands of laws, but they have never formed a coherent vision. We built roads without understanding where they were leading us. We reformed schools without a clear answer as to what kind of graduates our education system should produce. We changed taxes without knowing what kind of economy they were meant to serve. As a result, the country spent years moving forward far more slowly than it could have.
The absence of a strategy has cost Ukraine dearly. We have lost time, missed opportunities, and eroded public trust. Millions of our citizens have gone abroad in search of a better life because they could not see a future here. Investors stayed away because our country lacked predictability. And without predictability, there can be no strong economy, no sustainable development, and no stability.
The history of other countries clearly demonstrates that where there was strategy, there was success. South Korea, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates all began their journeys facing difficulties and limitations, but they had comprehensive development plans and the political will to implement them. As a result, over the course of several decades, they transformed themselves into strong nations and major technological and economic centers.
We, meanwhile, lost decades to endless disputes and experiments. Today, we must acknowledge that the greatest mistake of our independence has been living without a strategy. And this is a lesson we can no longer afford to ignore.
We need a comprehensive national development plan for at least the next ten years. A plan built around the economy and education, healthcare and culture, security and infrastructure. A plan that becomes a foundation for the country and endures beyond any election cycle. A plan that gives people confidence and provides the state with strength and resilience.
I am convinced that only in this way can we transform independence from a formal status into a genuine achievement. Independence is not only about a flag and an anthem; it is about the ability to build our future with our own hands. And there can be no future without strategy.
With faith in God, responsibility and the future.
I am honoured!
Andrey Gmyrin
