>>GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.

I'M DAVID DUMKE.

ON FEBRUARY 24TH OF THIS YEAR, THE RUSSIAN ARMY INVADED UKRAINE, DRAMATICALLY ESCALATING A CONFLICT THAT FIRST STARTED IN 2014.

SINCE THAT TIME, THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE HAVE SUFFERED UNIMAGINABLE HARDSHIP.

TODAY, WE ARE JOINED BY THE DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL AND FOREIGN RELATIONS FOR THE NATIONAL BALLET AND OPERA OF UKRAINE, LIUDMYLA MOVLENKO.

WELCOME TO THE SHOW, LIUDMYLA.

>>THANK YOU.

>>SO YOU ARE AS THE DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL AND FOREIGN RELATIONS, YOU ARE IN - YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE BALLET AND YOU ARE OFTEN IN CHARGE OF SCHEDULING THEIR TOURING AROUND THE WORLD.

THIS IS HARD AT THIS TIME.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR JOB AND A LITTLE ABOUT THE BALLET.

>>WELL, I'M WORKING IN THE NATIONAL OPERA OF UKRAINE SINCE '95.

THAT'S ALMOST ABOUT THIRTY YEARS.

AND I'M INVOLVED ALMOST IN ALL FOREIGN PROJECTS, NOT ONLY WITH BALLET, BUT WITH OPERA, WITH ORCHESTRA AS A WHOLE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT SHOWS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND THE THANKS TO MY JOB AND TO THIS POSITION IN THE THEATER, I TOURED A LOT.

I SAW A LOT OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, A LOT OF INTERESTING PEOPLE.

BUT OF COURSE, IT'S FIRST OF ALL, THANKS TO MY COMPANY, MY DANCERS, OUR DANCERS, OUR SOLOISTS, OUR ORCHESTRA, OUR MUSICIANS, OUR THEATER.

>>TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ARTS TO UKRAINIAN CULTURE AND NATIONAL IDENTITY.

>>WELL, I SUPPOSE THAT CULTURE IS A PART OF OUR LIFE, OUR HEART, OUR MIND.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT INDEED FOR US.

AND FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, UKRAINIAN NATION AND THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE, THEY'RE TRYING TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES VIA SONG, VIA DANCE, VIA PAINTING AND CULTURE STEP BY STEP NOW, PLAYING A VERY BIG ROLE IN OUR LIFE.

>>TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ARTS, PARTICULARLY NOW WITH WITH THE RUSSIAN INVASION AND THE WAR THAT'S - THAT'S ONGOING.

>>WELL, AS FOR AS FOR TODAY, THE ROLE OF CULTURE, INDEED, IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ONLY PERFORM ON THE STAGE, BUT A LOT OF OUR COLLEAGUES TOOK GUNS AND DECIDED TO DEFEND THEIR MOTHERLAND.

AND, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE SOLDIERS OF THE BALLET COMPANY, OLEKSII POTIOMKIN, HE DURING THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, WAS IN THE ARMY.

ALSO BALLET SOLOIST, ALYSSA VALUNUKE.

SHE IS ALSO A VOLUNTEER, HELPED OUR ARMY AND THEY ARE ONLY TWO NAMES, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF SUCH EXAMPLES.

>>WELL, AND EVERYONE ALSO HAS FAMILY, OF COURSE.

>>YES.

>>HOW DIFFICULT HAS IT BEEN FOR - FOR THE ARTISTS, BOTH IN THE IN THE OPERA AND THE BALLET TO PERFORM WHEN THEIR HOMELAND, THEIR HOMES ARE UNDER ATTACK AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE IN DANGER.

>>WHEN THE WAR BEGAN, WE STOPPED OUR PERFORMANCES, OF COURSE, BECAUSE NOBODY KNOWS HOW LONG IT WILL BE AND HOW IT'S POSSIBLE TO PERFORM.

AND DURING ALMOST THREE MONTHS, WE DIDN'T PERFORM ON OUR STAGE.

A LOT OF ARTISTS LEFT KIEV, ESPECIALLY THE WOMEN WITH CHILDREN.

BUT THE SINCE THE END OF MAY, WE AGAIN PERFORMED NOW NOT ACCORDING TO OUR USUAL SCHEDULE, SIX TIMES PER WEEK, BUT ONLY TWICE PER WEEK ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

BUT SINCE THE END OF MAY, WE AGAIN PERFORM BALLET, OPERA AND TRYING TO SUPPORT OUR SOLDIERS, OUR VOLUNTEERS WITH OUR DANCERS, WITH OUR SINGING, WITH OUR ART.

>>HOW, HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT DURING THOSE THREE MONTHS WHEN YOU THESE ARE, THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, PERFORMERS OF THE HIGHEST CALIBER IN THE WORLD THAT SUDDENLY HAVE TO STOP AND WATCH THIS.

AND THEY HAVE NO OUTLET FOR THAT.

THAT ENERGY, I IMAGINE THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT.

>>YES, IT WAS DIFFICULT, FIRST OF ALL, TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE CANNOT PERFORM IN OUR NATIVE THEATER AND THAT WE SHOULD LEFT, LEAVE OUR NATIVE TOWN BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AFRAID INDEED.

BUT, THANKS TO OUR FOREIGN PARTNERS, A LOT OF WOMEN DANCERS, SEVERAL SINGERS, MUSICIANS, THEY ARE PERFORMING NOW ABROAD.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE FIRST WHO SUPPORTED US AND PROPOSED TO GO TO ITALY.

IT WAS IN THE FESTIVAL AND THE RICCARDO MUTI.

MAESTRO MUTI, YOU KNOW OF COURSE HERE HE IS THE CHIEF CONDUCTOR OF AS FAR AS I KNOW, CHICAGO ORCHESTRA.

AND HE WORKED WITH US SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND HIS WIFE AND HE, THEY PROPOSED TO INVITE ABOUT 50 PERSONS FROM OUR THEATER.

AND EVEN SENORA MUTI MET THE BASSIST WITH OUR ARTISTS ON THE BORDER OF UKRAINE AND FROM THE BEGINNING OF APRIL TILL THE MIDDLE OF JULY, ABOUT 50% OF OUR DANCERS, SINGERS, ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS, SINGERS, THEY WERE IN RAVENNA.

ALSO OUR FRIENDS FROM GERMANY, FROM SLOVAKIA, FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, FROM LITHUANIA, FROM ESTONIA.

THEY INVITED ALSO A LOT OF OUR COLLEAGUES.

AND THEY NOT ONLY HAVE NOW A NEW HOME IN THESE COUNTRIES, BUT THEY HAVE GOTTEN JOB.

THEY PERFORM IN THIS IN THE THEATERS.

BUT OF COURSE, A LOT OF ARTISTS, THEY ARE GOING TO COME BACK TO KIEV WHEN IT WILL BE POSSIBLE.

>>THAT, THAT NETWORK OF ARTISTS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, OF COURSE, THERE HAVE BEEN MILLIONS OF I THINK ALMOST 7 MILLION REFUGEES FROM UKRAINE HAVE FLED THE COUNTRY AND MANY OF MANY OF THE ARTISTS HAVE.

HAS THAT NETWORK REMAINED STRONG AND INTACT, EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LITHUANIA AND ITALY AND OTHER PLACES?

>>UH.

YES, WE -- SORRY.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

>>WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY INTACT?

HAVE YOU MAINTAINED COMMUNICATIONS EVEN WITH ARTISTS WHO HAVE LEFT UKRAINE?

>>YES.

WE HAVE A PART OF OUR COMPANY NOW IN KIEV WHICH PERFORM BALLET AND OPERA PERFORMANCES.

AND A LOT OF THOSE WHO ARE STILL ABROAD, MAINLY OUR WOMEN DANCERS, ARE ABROAD NOW AND SINGERS AND MUSICIANS BECAUSE THEY AFRAID TO COME BACK TO KIEV.

SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES EVEN CANNOT COME BACK, BECAUSE THEIR APARTMENTS ARE DESTROYED AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A NEW HOUSE.

BUT THOSE WHO ARE ABROAD NOW, THEY, FOR EXAMPLE, IN HAGUE, IN THE NETHERLANDS, THE NEW BALLET COMPANY APPEARED FROM DIFFERENT THEATERS FROM KIEV.

HEART OF THIS, DNIPRO, THOSE WHO LEFT UKRAINE, THEY GATHERED IN HAGUE, IN THE NETHERLANDS, AND NOW THERE IS A NEW COMPANY, UKRAINIAN UNITED BALLET, AND THEY PERFORMED IN HAGUE, NOW IN AMSTERDAM AND GOING TO GREAT BRITAIN NEXT MONTH.

SO WE ARE TRYING TO SUPPORT OUR COLLEAGUES NOT ONLY IN UKRAINE, BUT ABROAD, TOO.

>>LET ME ASK YOU, SO YOU'RE YOU STILL HAVE UKRAINIAN ARTISTS PERFORMING ABROAD.

AND OBVIOUSLY THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT HAS HAS RISEN DURING THIS TIME OF CRISIS.

HOW HAVE THE AUDIENCES RESPONDED?

I KNOW YOU'VE YOU'VE HAD THE BALLET WAS IN IN ASIA.

THEY RECENTLY PERFORMED IN ORLANDO AND THEY'VE PERFORMED ELSEWHERE.

HOW HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN FROM THE AUDIENCE?

>>VERY BIG SUPPORT.

IT WAS, IT IS, FRANKLY SPEAKING, EVEN AMAZING THAT PEOPLE OPEN THEIR HEART.

THEY ARE SO ATTENTIVE, THEY ARE SO KIND TO ALL OF US.

FRANKLY SPEAKING, WE EVEN DIDN'T EXPECT SUCH ATTITUDE FROM THE AUDIENCE IN ALL THOSE COUNTRIES WHERE WE PERFORM.

WE WERE IN IN ITALY, IN SLOVAK, IN GERMANY, IN FRANCE, IN NETHERLAND, IN JAPAN NOW.

EVERYWHERE PEOPLE, TRYING TO DO THEIR BEST TO SUPPORT US AND TO THEIR VISION, VICTORY TO OUR ARMY AND THE PEACE TO OUR COUNTRY.

>>NOW, OF COURSE, THE UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT HAS VERY MUCH SUPPORTED YOUR EFFORTS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT.

COULD YOU TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT HOW PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY HAS HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF THE ARTS AND.

>>YES, OF COURSE.

A LOT OF ATTENTION IS PAID BY THE GOVERNMENT, ESPECIALLY BY THE FIRST LADY.

SHE'S INVOLVED IN A LOT OF PROJECTS OF CULTURE AND OF COURSE, OUR MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND INFORMATION POLICY.

THEY PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE NOW PERFORMING IN UKRAINE WHO INNOVATED THEIR WORK BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE SEVERAL THEATERS DESTROYED LIKE IN KHARKIV OR WHERE ELSE, AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THE BEST CONDITIONS FOR THESE COMPANIES IN AND TO HELP THEM TO RENOVATE THEIR WORK.

SO, YES, BIG SUPPORT FROM EVERYBODY, FROM EVERYWHERE.

>>LET ME SHIFT GEARS A LITTLE.

I WANT TO ASK A LITTLE ABOUT YOU.

YOU'VE BEEN WITH THE.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH WITH THE OPERA HOUSE?

>>I'VE BEEN SINCE '95.

>>HOW HAVE THINGS CHANGED OVER THAT TIME?

AND IN 1995, OF COURSE, UKRAINE HAD ONLY FAIRLY RECENTLY.

>>YES, IN '95 WE MADE OUR FIRST STEPS IN INDEPENDENT LIFE SINCE 1991.

OF COURSE, IT IS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE ON MY EYES, ALMOST ALL THIS HISTORY, I REMEMBER A LOT OF INTERESTING SITUATIONS AND ALL THOSE WHO ARE NOW IN THE COMPANY, ESPECIALLY BALLET DANCERS, BECAUSE BALLETS ARE OF YOUNG PEOPLE, ALMOST ALL THEY CAME TO THE THEATER.

WHEN I AM ALREADY WORK AS A PERSONAL MANAGER AND I KNOW EVERYBODY IN THE THEY ARE MARRIED TO THEIR BECAME FATHERS MOTHERS AND I KNOW ABOUT ALL THESE CHANGES IN THEIR LIFE.

AND I SEE HOW PEOPLE'S ARE CHANGING IN THEIR MIND, IN THEIR ATTITUDE TO THE WORLD, TO THE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

THEY NOW CHOOSE A LOT.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNICATIONS, A LOT OF FRIENDS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

IT IS VERY INTERESTING TO.

>>WATCH THAT.

>>TO WATCH THAT, YES.

>>GOING BACK TO THE CONFLICT.

OF COURSE, RUSSIA AND THE UKRAINE WERE BOTH PART OF THE SOVIET UNION.

THERE'S A LOT OF MARRIAGES BETWEEN RUSSIANS AND UKRAINIANS, AND THAT IS OBVIOUSLY FOR FOR OUTSIDERS LOOKING AT THIS SITUATION, IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY THIS CONFLICT IS TAKING PLACE.

CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT KIND OF HOW IDENTITY PLAYS A ROLE IN THIS CONFLICT?

AND, YOU KNOW, RUSSIANS WERE YOUR FELLOW COUNTRYMEN NOT TERRIBLY LONG AGO CERTAINLY AND IN IN YOU KNOW, IN YOUR LIFETIME.

>>YOU KNOW, IT'S A RATHER DIFFICULT QUESTION.

AND IT SEEMS TO ME IN THE SAME TIME A RATHER SIMPLE QUESTION, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROPAGANDA IN RUSSIA, I SUPPOSE THAT THEIR MAIN TASK TO SAY THAT WE ARE THE SAME UKRAINIAN AND RUSSIAN AND EVEN THAT WE ARE YOUNGER BROTHER OF RUSSIA.

BUT I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT WE ARE NOT YOUNGER AND WE ARE NOT SIMILAR.

WE ARE ABSOLUTELY DIFFERENT.

WE ARE ANOTHER NATION, ANOTHER PEOPLE, ANOTHER COUNTRY.

AND WE HAVE OUR OWN HISTORY.

WE HAVE OUR OWN MIND, OUR OWN ATTITUDE TO EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD.

AND WE DO NOT NEED SOMEBODY TO TEACH US AND TO SHOW US HOW TO LIVE AND HOW TO MAKE OUR LIFE.

>>COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR OWN CONNECTIONS TO RUSSIA AND PARTICULARLY YOUR CONNECTION AND FRIENDSHIPS TO THE RUSSIAN ARTS COMMUNITY?

>>YES, OF COURSE I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS IN RUSSIA BECAUSE MY FRIENDS FROM EVEN FROM MY SCHOOL ARE IN OR EVEN IN RUSSIA NOW.

I DO NOT HAVE RELATIVES NOW IN RUSSIA, BUT ALMOST ALL THOSE WITH WHOM I CONTACTED, THEY COULDN'T EXPLAIN HOW IT WAS POSSIBLE, WHY THE GOVERNMENT OF RUSSIA STARTED THIS SPECIAL OPERATION, AS THEY CALL IT.

OF COURSE, THEY CANNOT SUPPORT IN THE COMMUNICATION WITH ME OF THE GOVERNMENT.

BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THEY ARE AFRAID TO BE ABSOLUTELY FRANK AND HONEST BECAUSE OF RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA.

IT'S.

INDEED VERY DIFFICULT FOR BOTH OF US, FOR ME AND FOR MY FRIENDS THAT WE NOW CANNOT COMMUNICATE, CANNOT MEET AS SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE.

>>SOMEDAY THIS WAR WILL END.

>>YES.

>>SHARE YOUR OPINION OF HOW THE ARTS AND BALLET COULD BE USED TO TO REBUILD RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA.

>>WELL, THIS SPECIAL OPERATION IS THE IDEA OF RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT, NOT OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF RUSSIA CULTURE AND NOT OF THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE IN THE WHOLE I THINK.

SO, OF COURSE, NECESSARY TO MAKE STEPS FROM BOTH SIDES TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER AND TO FIND NEW WAYS AND NEW POINTS OF COMMUNICATION.

BECAUSE REAL RUSSIAN CULTURE AND REALLY REPRESENTATIVES OF THIS GREAT RUSSIAN CULTURE, UH, THEY NEVER CAN DO SUCH STEPS AS WAS DONE.

AND I AM SURE THAT WE WILL FIND NEW POINTS OF COMMUNICATION AND NEW WAYS OF COOPERATION.

BUT WITH ANOTHER RUSSIA, WITH ANOTHER GOVERNMENT, WITH ABSOLUTELY ANOTHER PEOPLES WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS COUNTRY.

>>HOW YOU MENTIONED KIND OF HOW UNIMAGINABLE THIS ALL IS.

JUST COMPREHENDING WHY THIS HAS HAPPENED AND HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED.

DID YOU EVER SEE THAT THIS, THIS DAY COULD COME WHEN RUSSIA WOULD WOULD ATTACK UKRAINE AND TRY TO SWALLOW IT UP AGAIN.

>>DID I WAIT FOR THIS?

NO, I, FRANKLY SPEAKING, I, TILL THE LAST MINUTE.

I DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT IT CAN HAPPEN.

EVEN THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR COMMUNICATION AND OUR CONNECTIONS WITH RUSSIA SINCE 2014, THESE EIGHT YEARS OF A RATHER DIFFICULT INDEED.

BUT, THE, I DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT SUCH A SPECIAL OPERATION CAN BEGIN.

AND WHEN MY SON IN LAW CALLED ME IN THE MORNING AND TOLD ME THAT THE WAR BEGAN, I DECIDED THAT THIS IS A STUPID JOKE.

>>HOW, HOW ARE CONDITIONS IN KIEV TODAY?

>>KIEV, KIEV THE CAPITAL.

AND THANKS TO ALL EFFORTS OF OUR ARMY.

THE SITUATION IS RATHER BRUTAL, IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO SAY SO.

I LIVE IN THE VERY CENTER OF KIEV AND OUR THEATER IS SITUATED IN THE VERY CENTER OF HISTORICAL, THE VERY HISTORICAL CENTER OF KIEV.

AND YES, OF COURSE, IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO WORK WHEN YOU HEAR THE SIGNALS OF IF YOU MUST LEFT, EVERYTHING CAN GO TO THE SHELTER BUT IN ANY CASE.

MORE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY CAME BACK THAN THOSE WHO LEFT UKRAINE.

AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT'S A GOOD FEATURE.

IT'S A GOOD FACT.

MORE AND MORE ARE GOING TO COME BACK TO KIEV.

WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN WORK AND CAN CONTINUE OUR LIFE IN OUR NATIVE TOWN.

>>HAVE YOU HAD TO TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS FOR THE BALLET IN TERMS OF WHEN YOU PRACTICE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE?

HAVING SEEN OTHER OPERA HOUSES GET DESTROYED, FOR EXAMPLE, AND OTHER ARTISTIC VENUES IN OTHER PARTS OF UKRAINE.

IS IT BUSINESS AS USUAL?

>>NO.

WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT ANOTHER POSSIBILITY FOR THEATER, WE BELIEVE THAT IT WOULDN'T BE DESTROYED AND EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY.

MORE I WOULD LIKE TO SAY MORE.

WE ARE GOING TO PERFORM A NEW OPERA IN THE AUTUMN.

WE ARE PREPARING THE PREMIERE OF LA TRAVIATA NOW.

WE ARE PREPARING NEW BALLET PRODUCTION NOW.

WE BELIEVE THAT THE LIFE AND THE SHOW'S GO ON AND MUST GO ON AND WE BELIEVE IN OUR VERY, VERY SHORT VICTORY.

>>WISH YOU, OBVIOUSLY THE BEST, THE BEST OF LUCK WITH THAT.

IN TERMS OF PEOPLE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'D LIKE OUR VIEWERS TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT UKRAINE?

MAYBE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS YOU'VE GOTTEN FROM OTHER FOREIGN AUDIENCES WHEN YOU'VE ENGAGED WITH THEM.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE COMMONLY ASKED?

>>WE ARE A COUNTRY OF PEACE.

WE ARE VERY.

WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO LIKE DANCE, SING.

WE LIKE ALL THOSE WITH WHOM WE ARE IN CONTACT.

WE DO NOT LOOK FOR ENEMIES, BUT FOR FRIENDSHIP, FOR GOOD RELATIONS WITH DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

WE WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THE DIFFERENT CULTURES AND DIFFERENT TECHNICAL PROJECTS ALL OVER THE WORLD, IN EUROPE, WITH THE U.S., WITH AUSTRALIA, WITH JAPAN.

BUT WE DO NOT WANT TO TAKE GUNS AND TO DESTROY ANY COUNTRY.

WE WANT TO LIVE IN PEACE AND WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO LIVE IN PEACE.

>>THE WAY YOU'RE TALKING REALLY DEMONSTRATES THAT YOU ARE VERY MUCH AMBASSADORS FOR THE UKRAINE.

DID YOU SEE YOURSELF AS A DIPLOMAT BEFORE BEFORE THIS WAR?

>>OH, I THINK EVERYBODY, EVERY UKRAINIAN CAN SAY THE SAME.

IT'S NOT ONLY MY POSITION, IT'S POSITION OF ALL OUR PEOPLE, I'M SURE, ABSOLUTELY, IN THIS.

>>YOUR DANCERS ARE YOUNG PEOPLE, MOSTLY IN THEIR TWENTIES, CORRECT?

THEY'VE GROWN UP WITH UKRAINE BEING INDEPENDENT.

>>MM HMM.

>>PRETTY MUCH THEIR WHOLE LIVES, I WOULD IMAGINE, MOST CASES.

HOW PROUD ARE THEY TO BE PERFORMING RIGHT NOW FOR THE NATIONAL BALLET UKRAINE?

>>YES, I'M PROUD OF THEM, INDEED, BECAUSE EVERY PERFORMANCE ABROAD, THEY TAKE THIS SYMBOL OF UKRAINE.

IT CAN BE A SMALL PIECE OF PAPER, WITH BLUE AND YELLOW COLOR.

IT CAN BE OUR FLAG.

IT CAN BE OUR NATIVE, DETAILS OF CLOTHES, WHATEVER THEY CAN FIND.

AND EVERY TIME, EVERY PERFORMANCE, EVERY DAY THEY THINK ABOUT UKRAINE, THEY THINK ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE IN UKRAINE WHILE THEY ARE ABROAD.

AND EVERY DANCE, EVERY SONG, NOT ONLY DANCE OF THIS BALLET COMPANY, BUT SONG OF THOSE WHO ARE IN ITALY OR SOMEWHERE ELSE NOW IN GERMANY, IN ESTONIA, IN LITHUANIA, THEY ARE TRYING TO INTRODUCE OUR FOLK ART, OUR UKRAINIAN SONGS, OUR UKRAINIAN CULTURE, WHICH IS FULL OF LOVE, FULL OF PEACEFUL EMOTIONS.

AND I AM VERY PROUD OF ALL MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE TRYING TO DO THEIR BEST TO INTRODUCE UKRAINE AS A COUNTRY OF PEACE.

>>LUDMILLA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

THIS HAS BEEN A VERY INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE CONVERSATION AND I WISH YOU AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE THE BEST OF LUCK.

>>THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

>>AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK ON ANOTHER EPISODE OF GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.