I was recently speaking with a CEO, Joseph Hansen, about the role of CEOs in building a better world. As background, he has a unique perspective having built and sold six businesses (currently BuyBox Experts) and also having served a mission in Russia. What struck me was Hansen’s unexpected – and frankly, profound — insight about a genuine path to build peace. Below are his answers in a historical context of our March 4 communication.
Robert Reiss: What is your take of the Russia-Ukraine conflict?
Joseph Hansen: Today, across the world we find not only nations politically polarized but we also find nations at conflict with each other, at war. Tens of millions in Ukraine are directly affected in the most severe and devastating way. Billions more across the world will find themselves affected by the Russia and Ukraine war from increased energy costs and reduced trade resulting in additional inflation.
Reiss: What do you think of the current solutions?
Hansen: Nations have sought to resolve this problem by pressuring Russian oligarchs, by pressuring the international Russian media, by condemning on twitter and in joint statements, cancelling tennis tournaments, and placing sanctions on limited economic activity with Russia. Wisely and cowardly, they will not play sanctions on the energy flow from Russia - the one area that would immediately defund war operations going on in Ukraine. Alternatively, they also refuse to produce more of their own fossil fuel and nuclear energy to reduce the market price and defund the Russian war.
So far sanctions have done nothing to deter the advancing armies in Ukraine. Instead, they provide the Russian government and its propaganda machine free ammunition to build support for their horrendous war and other barbaric pursuits. But, something must be done.
In the words of Dostoyevsky, "we are all responsible to each other." Perhaps the problem is that we have been targeting the Russian leaders in power and while they maintain totalitarian control there is really no pain we can inflict against them that is substantial enough without creating a more likely nuclear conflict. So let's change our aim.
Reiss: What did you learn from your time in Russia?
Hansen: I served a religious mission in Russia starting in the year 2001 in Vladivostok, Russia. I learned the Russian language, lived in the country and taught the Savior's Gospel of peace and forgiveness. I grew to love the Russian people, especially those who were descendants of Russian dissidents and suffered greatly at the hands of people just like Vladimir Putin. Our intelligence has expressed that many of the soldiers today fighting on behalf of Russia are recent conscripts and did not know they would be fighting this war. Many have messaged home and want a way out, but they fear losing their lives or being imprisoned for 25 years if they were to refuse orders.
Reiss: What do you recommend?
Hansen: Instead of aiming at Putin, Oil Barons or tennis tournaments, what if we aim at those soldiers? Not a sniper's aim to kill, but for peace. Let's offer them amnesty and support the same way we're offering it to the Ukrainian victims. Let's give them a chance to lay down their arms and join Western World Civilization and work to defend Ukraine and to rebuild it, to live out their lives with freedom instead of being slaves to the Putin regime.
If the EU countries and the U.S. pass resolutions to give Russian defectors protection and opportunity, how many will lay down their weapons of war? Let's offer them the path that they don't have today to refuse evil. It's probably our best and last Hope for Peace.
