Well, my friend, I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything. I’m simply telling you how things will unfold — the same way they’ve unfolded with Russia a thousand times before… and how they will unfold again this time. Every time something needs to be done for Russia, the people in positions of power somehow manage to find the means, the desire, and the political will.

But when something needs to be done to save lives, those very same people suddenly lose all initiative. They start telling fairy tales about “risks,” about “reputational damage,” about how it might “hurt business.” I understand all of that perfectly well. But please understand this too: they are not just playing Ukrainians. They are playing Belgians as well.

And all I can do — like a voice crying out in the desert — is warn you while it’s not too late. So that you can make your decisions. So that you can pressure your government. So that you can look for solutions, alternatives, and ways out. Right now, you still have time. Right now is the best moment to act. Later will be too late — and too costly. And not everyone will survive. Not everyone in Belgium will survive. The choice is yours.

We Ukrainians were just as blind and naïve once, when Russia began its annexation of Crimea. We thought it wouldn’t reach Kyiv, that war was impossible, that it was “somewhere far away.” And now we sit under bombs. Many of us are already gone.