Olga Dub-Büssen Schütt is the first European candidate of Ukrainian origin in Germany. For more than two years it has been a kind of bridge between the Bavarian municipalities, the city administrations and the Ukrainian community in Munich and Bavaria. On the one hand, she helped many Ukrainian refugees find their way through the German bureaucracy, and on the other hand, she supported committed Germans in providing Ukraine with humanitarian and medical aid. Now, as the CSU’s European candidate, Dub-Büssen Schütt would like to contribute her expertise in foreign and security policy with a focus on Ukraine and be useful for security and peace in Europe. She is number 32 on the list for the European elections. In the interview, she explains how the war in Ukraine influenced her personal and political priorities, what lessons she has learned from it and what goals she is pursuing as a candidate for Europe.
How did you find your way into German politics?
I’ve wanted to go into politics since I was 16 or 17 years old. I was born and grew up in Ukraine. When I was a student, after a long selection process, I got the chance to go to the first school for young politicians in Ukraine – a kind of young political academy. One of the supporters of this political school was the future President Petro Poroshenko. That’s why I already had an indirect connection to the European People’s Party (EPP) back then, because Poroshenko’s party, European Solidarity, is an associated member. The CSU, for which I am now running, is also part of the EPP. When I was 20, I came to Germany to study economics at the LMU.
And this is where you expanded your political involvement?
After studying, I got married and stayed in Germany. For many years I was an active representative of the Ukrainian community and took part in all pro-European demonstrations by Ukrainians in Munich and Bavaria. Demonstrations are good and important, but it wasn’t enough for me. This is how my political career began in Germany.
How did you find the party whose policies you are closest to?
Choosing a party was not difficult. I am a Christian, and religion and faith are very important to me in life. And since the European People’s Party and its proximity to Ukraine have always been important to me, and in Bavaria the EPP is represented by the CSU, the CSU was the only alternative for me. In addition, the CSU’s top candidate for the European elections, the EPP party and parliamentary group leader Manfred Weber, is a true friend of Ukraine and is highly respected there. Thanks in part to the efforts of the EPP group under his leadership, several sanctions packages against Russia were passed in the European Parliament, Ukraine was granted EU candidate status and 50 billion euros in financial aid to stabilize the country.
So the pro-European ideology accompanied you for many years?
That’s exactly how it is. Even as a student, I believed that Ukraine would one day be part of the EU and NATO. Now I am convinced that Ukraine is on the right path and I very much hope to see the day when Ukraine will be a full member of the EU and NATO.
Has it helped you in your political career that you are a native Ukrainian?
After the start of the Russian war of aggression, there was a reassessment of Ukrainian identity. Until 2015, I fought for my Ukrainian identity by constantly having to explain that I am of Ukrainian and not of Russian or Soviet origin, and that they are not the same thing. It may sound terrible, but it took a war in the heart of Europe for people to stop questioning this. Fortunately, almost no one does that anymore. Instead, I feel that Ukraine and Ukrainians are respected worldwide for their contribution to European freedom.
When the war began, there was a large wave of migration in Bavaria, and you took on the role of a “bridge builder” between the Ukrainian community and the Bavarian municipalities. How has this affected your worldview and your perspective as a candidate for the European Parliament?
I was very afraid for my first home. Many people came to me with inquiries about where they could pass on medical and humanitarian aid so that it arrived safely. And I especially recommended the Ukrainian Church to everyone. I was absolutely impressed by the wave of support that people in Ukraine and Bavaria received back then. This is now my main motivation as to why I am running for the European Parliament. I would like to thank Bavaria, Germany, Europe and my party for their support of Ukraine and Ukrainians. This is not a given. It was unprecedented support in the history of the EU. It is important to me to show that Ukrainians or people of Ukrainian origin can not only take, but also give.
Have you also experienced significant personal changes?
Absolutely. There is now also an awareness for me that security is not everything, but without security everything is nothing. War changes everything in an instant. We can think about prosperity, economic stability, economic development, innovations. But when war breaks out, you understand how important it is to invest money in defense and the army in a timely manner. That was really a paradigm shift for me. Of course, the Russian war against Ukraine also influenced my goals for the European elections. I used to have a very different focus, especially on migration and integration policy. Now the focus is clearly on foreign and security policy. I want the European Union to remain a safe place, as it has been for several decades. The EU must become strong and able to defend itself, because Putin only understands one language – the language of strength. That is why my number one goal is to develop a common European defense policy. Cooperation between EU member states should be improved in the military field. We need more investment in defense capabilities. I stand for the construction of a common missile defense system in the European Union and the creation of a European cyber defense brigade. I also think the introduction of an EU Defence Commissioner is very important. No nation state can survive on its own in the long term. We all depend on one another in the EU. That is why we need more EU involvement in major, important issues.
How is this vision reflected in your election manifesto?
If you look at the CSU’s program, the first of twelve points is precisely the point that we “stand for a Europe that maintains peace.” We need more uniform weapons systems in the EU, we need joint development and procurement of armaments such as battle tanks, combat aircraft and drones. We need a common missile defense shield for Europe. Strengthening cybersecurity is equally important. For me, peace on the European continent has absolute priority.
Emiliia Dieniezhna, 35, fled with her then four-year-old daughter Ewa from Kiev to Pullach near Munich. She works on a voluntary basis for the non-governmental organization NAKO, whose goal is to fight corruption in Ukraine. She also teaches German to Ukrainian refugee children. She regularly writes for the SZ about topics that concern the Ukrainian community in Munich.