The "Open Ukraine" Foundation invites you to join us at the 7th Youth Kyiv Security Forum, which will begin on the 21st of February in Kyiv.For those who don’t have the opportunity to attend the event, we will be broadcasting a livestream directly from the venue.You can access the live-stream on the "Open Ukraine" website.Start time: 12:00. February 21st.The Youth Kyiv Security Forum is a platform for young experts to discuss relevant issues regarding international relations and Ukraine’s foreign policy. The goal of the forum is to strengthen the role of a new generation of experts and improve their ability to participate in the process of political analysis and development. Forum organizer - Open Ukraine Foundation.

Livestream of the 7th Youth Kyiv Security Forum

The fifteenth Kyiv Security Forum was held on May 25-26, 2023.

On December 1, 2022 – the 31 st anniversary of the national referendum that confirmed Ukraine’s independence, territorial integrity and the inviolability of its borders – the annual Kyiv Security Forum will be held.The main slogan of this year’s KSF is “All for Victory”. It will be a platform where prominent international and Ukrainian politicians, diplomats and experts discuss the key challenges in defending Ukraine and strengthening international solidarity against the Russian enemy.Among the Forum’s participants will be Joëlle GARRIAUD-MAYLAM, the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly; Victoria NULAND, the United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs; Donald TUSK, President of the European Council in 2014-19; David CATTLER, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence and Security; David PETRAEUS and Wesley CLARK, four-star U.S. generals (retired).Kyiv Security Forum is Ukraine’s foremost platform for high-level international discussion about Ukrainian and global security issues. KSF was founded by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk “Open Ukraine” Foundation. &nbsp;

On April 10-11, 2014 Kyiv will host the 7th Kyiv Security Forum “On the Fault Line: to be Secure In–Between”. Over 400 international and Ukrainian policy leaders, representatives of political, business and civic circles from more than 20 countries of the world will discuss global security trends and challenges in current international relations. This year the main theme of the Forum will focus on recent developments in Ukraine and close to its borders, their preconditions, and possible outcomes for the country, region, Europe and even for the world at large.Ukrainian and international experts will provide a forecast for possible scenarios and their consequences as well as give expert advice with regard to ensuring stability and security in Europe and neighboring regions in the future.The Forum will focus on current security issues, particularly: new global security strategies, Crimea crises and setting new global rules, importance of international guarantees, military alliances and ensuring security for neutral countries, the EU’s position in global political fight, international mechanisms of human rights protection, Russian factor in regional conflicts, role of civic society and the media in state formation.

Kyiv will hold the 8th Security Forum that will be opened on Thursday and last for two days. More than 400 Ukrainian and international leaders, representatives of political, business circles and civil society activists from more than 20 countries will discuss global security trends and challenges in contemporary international relations.This year the main theme of the Forum will be dedicated to the recent events in Ukraine and at its’ borders, their background and possible consequences for the state, region, Europe and even the world as a whole. Ukrainian and international specialists will forecast possible scenarios of developments in Ukraine and their aftermath, and give expert advice as to the maintenance of stability and security in Europe and neighboring regions in the future.

The Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation informs about the 10th Kyiv Security Forum that will be held on April 6-7, 2017.More than 600 Ukrainian and international leaders, representatives of political, business circles and civil society activists from more than 20 countries will discuss global security trends and challenges in contemporary international relations.Ukrainian and international specialists will forecast possible scenarios of developments in Ukraine and their aftermath and give expert advice as to the maintenance of stability and security in Europe and neighboring regions in the future.

More than 400 international and Ukrainian leaders, representatives of political, business and civil society communities from over 20 countries will discuss global security trends and challenges in contemporary international relations, as well as Ukraine's importance for regional and European security and democracy.

The Kyiv Security Forum, organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation, will take place on April 11-12. This year, the Forum will gather a record number of participants — over 1000. Among them are high-ranking officials of Ukrainian state and state leadership, diplomats, and esteemed experts from over 20 countries.The title of this year’s Forum is “Restless Wave: the Strategic Choice of Ukraine and the West”. The image of a “restless wave” is a reference to John McCain’s book of the same name, whose legacy, and support for Ukraine in particular, we look to honor at this year’s Forum.The topics of conversations for the Forum’s 15 panel discussions: the strategic choice of Ukraine and the West and the political, economic, security and cultural interdependence between Ukraine and the Western world.

Kyiv Security Forum - the main international forum of Ukraine to discuss the issues of war and peace, national and international security.Arseniy Yatsenyuk “Open Ukraine” Foundation dedicates this forum to the 30th anniversary of our Independence and the national referendum held on December 1, 1991, which established statehood and the international legal inviolability of Ukraine's borders.The most important questions of the upcoming forum: what is the best way to defend Ukraine against continuing Russia’s aggression and to protect the national course chosen after the Revolution of Dignity? The expected discussion will be a truthful and competent discussion of the security and political situation in Ukraine.The participants of the Forum are political leaders, the military, economists, experts on security and international relations, and public activists. &nbsp;

The 13th Kyiv Security Forum, organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation, will take place on April 23-24. This year, the Forum will gather a record number of participants – over 1000. Among them are high-ranking officials of Ukrainian state and state leadership, diplomats, and esteemed experts from over 20 countries

More than 400 international and Ukrainian leaders, representatives of political, business and social circles from more than 20 countries will discuss global security trends and challenges in present international relations.The Forum will focus on current security issues: the role of the European Union in building regional security, security in the energy sector, cyber security, intensification of the struggle for resources, freedom of speech, the likely way to achieve stability in the Black Sea Region, and also the present state, the problem of choice and development of Ukraine in the context of international security processes.

On February 21, the 8th Youth Kyiv Security Forum was held with many well-known participants from all over the world.This years' topic is "Old Challenges New Dynamics: Plans for the Twenties". Organizer of the Forum is the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation in partnership with the Embassy of Canada and NATO Information and Documentation Centre.More than 200 representatives from all the regions of Ukraine, as well as from the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic will discuss modern challenges the world is facing, such as social, demographic and ecological challenges.

The Open Ukraine Foundation offers you to become a member of one of the largest youth forums in Ukraine – The 7th Youth Kyiv Security Forum.Youth Kyiv Security Forum is the platform for discussion of current issues of international relations and foreign policy of Ukraine by young leaders.The topic of the Forum: "International organizations at the crossroad between classicism and modefnizm. An alternative view".

The Open Ukraine Foundation offers you to become a member of one of the largest youth forums in Ukraine - the 6th &nbsp;Youth Kyiv Security Forum.Youth Kyiv Security Forum is the platform for discussion of current issues of international relations and foreign policy of Ukraine by young leaders.The topic of the Forum: &nbsp; «WHEN DEMOCRACY AT STAKE: HYBRID WARFARE AND ROLE OF SOCIETY».

On June 11, 2021, the Kyiv Security Forum, founded by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation, will hold its ninth annual youth meeting.This year, the Youth Kyiv Security Forum will take place on the eve of the NATO summit in Brussels, scheduled for June 14, and will be dedicated to the integration of Ukraine and the countries of our region into NATO.The large-scale meeting will bring together well-known Ukrainian and foreign politicians, diplomats, experts, as well as more than four dozen young professionals from all regions of our country and young colleagues from Georgia. Dozens more participants will be present online throughout all panel discussions and will have the opportunity to ask questions to the speakers.The main goal of this year's Youth KSF is to appeal to NATO member states with strong support and a clear demand for Ukraine and Georgia to join the Alliance.Among the Ukrainian speakers are Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum, Olena Kondratyuk, Deputy Chairwoman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Olga Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, President of Ukraine in 2014-19, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Chairwoman of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada Committee on the EU integration, Member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Serhiy Rakhmanin

On January 22, 2022, marking the Day of the Unity of Ukraine, the Kyiv Security Forum gathered politicians, intellectuals and opinion leaders for a national dialogue with a call for unity, solidarity and readiness to defend Ukraine from Russian aggression.

Youth KSF

Special Edition KSF

National Round Table

Donald TUSK was born on 22 April 1957 in Gdańsk, Poland. His father worked as a carpenter on the railway, his mother as a secretary at a hospital. When TUSK was 14 years old, his father died.In 1976 he started studying history at Gdańsk University, where he became involved &nbsp;in illegal activities against the Communist regime. At the time he cooperated inter alia with the underground Free Trade Unions and met the future Solidarity leader Lech Wałęsa.In 1980 Donald TUSK founded an Independent Students’ Association, NZS, which was part of the ‘Solidarity’ movement. He became the leader of ‘Solidarity’ at his place of work and a journalist on a newspaper published by ‘Solidarity’.After martial law was imposed in December 1981 by General Jaruzelski, he remained in hiding for some time. He then worked as a bread seller and later, between 1984 and 1989, he earned his living as a manual labourer specialising in work at high altitudes with the aid of climbing equipment.At the same time he was an activist in the underground Solidarity movement. After being arrested for a short time, he was set free following an amnesty for political prisoners announced by General Jaruzelski.In 1983, Donald TUSK founded an illegal monthly ‘Political Review’, propagating economic liberalism and rules of liberal democracy. An informal think-tank supporting Lech Wałęsa was centred around the periodical. After the collapse of communism, think-tank members known as ‘Gdańsk liberals’ formed a government after the first free presidential elections in Poland.Simultaneously they founded the first pro-business and pro-Europe party in Poland, the Liberal Democratic Congress, with Donald TUSK as its leader. He was also responsible for de-monopolising and privatising the former communist state-owned press concern.In the 1990s, Donald Tusk was a Member of Parliament, inter alia deputy Speaker of the Senate. In the same years he published a series of books on the history of Gdańsk, some of which turned out to be bestsellers. In 2001, Donald TUSK was one of the initiators of the new centrist party called the Civic Platform and in 2003 he became its leader.In 2007, after a tough campaign he defeated the ruling rightist party and became Prime Minister. He was in office for seven years, which made him the longest-serving Prime Minister in democratic Poland, and the first one to be re-elected. During his seven-year term, Poland continued to maintain economic growth, and in the time of crisis the Polish economy grew by almost 20%, a record performance in Europe.In 2014, Donald TUSK was elected to the position of President of the European Council and in 2017 re-elected for the second mandate of 2.5 years. His term ended on 30 November 2019.In December 2019, he published a diary “Szczerze”, based on his five-year-term as President of the European Council, which became a bestseller in Poland. On December 2019, Donald TUSK assumed office of the President of the European People’s Party.

Donald TUSK

Alexander Vershbow is an American diplomat and former Deputy Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.From 1977 to 2008, Mr. Vershbow was a career member of the United States Foreign Service. He served as U.S. Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1998-2001); to the Russian Federation (2001-2005); and to the Republic of Korea (2005-2008). He held numerous senior positions in Washington, including Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for European Affairs at the National Security Council (1994-97) and State Department Director for Soviet Union Affairs (1988-91).During his career, he was centrally involved in strengthening U.S. defense relations with allies in Europe and Asia and in transforming NATO and other European security organizations to meet post-Cold War challenges. He also was centrally involved in efforts to promote democracy and human rights in the former Soviet Union.Alexander Vershbow is a long-time student of Russian Affairs and international relations. He received a B.A. in Russian and East European Studies from Yale University (1974) and a Master’s Degree in International Relations and Certificate of the Russian Institute from Columbia University (1976).During his U.S. government career, Ambassador Vershbow received numerous awards including the Department of Defense’s Distinguished Civilian Service Medal (2012) the State Department’s Cordell Hull Award for Economic Achievement for his contributions to negotiations on the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (2007); the American Bar Association’s Ambassador’s Award for his advocacy of the democracy, human rights and rule of law in Russia (2004); the State Department’s Distinguished Service Award for his work as Ambassador to NATO (2001); the Department of Defense’s Joseph J. Kruzel Award for his contributions to peace in the former Yugoslavia (1997); and the Anatoly Sharansky Freedom Award of the Union of Councils of Soviet Jews for his work in advancing the cause of Jewish emigration from the USSR (1990).

Amb. Alexander VERSHBOW

Alina Inayeh joined the German Marshall Fund GMF in 2007 as the director of the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation, a project dedicated to strengthening cooperation and fostering development in the Black Sea Region.She is an active practitioner in the field of international development and democratization, having run the Freedom House office in Ukraine in 2004 and the NDI office in Russia between 2000-2003, with a focus on civic education and political processes. She has trained NGOs throughout Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union on issues related to NGO development and democratization.Mrs. Inayeh has been a leading civic activist in the 1990s in her own country, Romania, and an active promoter of the NGO sector in the country. She received her bachelor's degree in geology from the University of Bucharest and a master's in public policy from the Woodrow Wilson School, University of Princeton.She is fluent in English and Russian in addition to her native Romanian.

Alina INAYEH

Mr. Karoblis graduated from the Law Faculty, Vilnius University. He started his work as a legal consultant at the Lithuanian Free Market Institute. In 1994-1995 he was appointed the First Secretary, Foreign Trade Policy Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania. From 1995 to 1999 he served at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania as the director of different departments.In 1999-2003 Mr. Karoblis was a Minister Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Lithuania to the United Nations Office in Geneva.In 2001-2003 he was a Permanent Representative of the Republic of Lithuania to the WTO and after that, he came back to Lithuania where he continued his work as a director of Foreign Trade Policy Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania.In 2007-2010 Mr. Karoblis served as a Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Lithuania to the European Union (COREPER I) and for the next five he was the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Lithuania to the European Union.In 2015-2016 Mr. Karoblis was a Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania.In December 2016 Mr. Karoblis was inaugurated as the Minister of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania.

Raimundas KAROBLIS

Graduated from École normale supérieure, Sciences-Po Paris and École nationale d’administration (ENA), he has a Master degree in History.A former adviser to the Minister of Finance, he was an investigator at the Accounting Court and Head of Department in Strategic Planning Commission (Prime Minister’s Office). He served as head of a special mission on international issues for the French government.Mr. Tenzer had several missions for international organizations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Algeria, Ukraine, Montenegro, Serbia, Haiti, Morocco and Jordan. He is the co-founder and now honorary chairman of Initiative for the Development of French Expertise Abroad in Europe and Worldwide (IDEFIE). He has been executive president of Aspen Institute France.Chairman of the Center for Studies and Research on Political Decision (CERAP) and the editor of the review Le Banquet, he is an associate professor at Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA, Sciences-Po), ENA and Institute for Advanced Studies on National Defence. He has been visiting a professor at foreign universities (US, Canada, Serbia, South Korea, etc.).Mr. Tenzer is the author of several books, including Political Philosophy; The World in 2030. The Rule and the Disorder; and France Needs Others. He was awarded knight of Légion d’Honneur and knight des Arts et Lettres.

Nicolas TENZER

Celeste WALLANDER is President and CEO of the U.S. Russia Foundation. She served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russia/Eurasia on the National Security Council (2013-2017), and as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia/Ukraine/Eurasia (2009-2012), professor at American University (2009-2013), visiting professor at Georgetown University (2006-2008), Director for Russia/Eurasia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (2001-2006), Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (2000-2001), and professor of Government at Harvard (1989-2000).She is the author of over 80 publications on European and Eurasian security issues, focused on Russian foreign and defense strategy. She received her Ph.D. (1990), M.Phil. (1986) and M.A. (1985) degrees from Yale University, and her B.A. (1983 – summa cum laude) from Northwestern University.She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Atlantic Council of the United States, and the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Celeste WALLANDER

Steven Pifer is a nonresident senior fellow with the Brookings Institution, where he spent nine years as a resident scholar focusing on arms control, Ukraine and Russia.A retired Foreign Service officer, his more than 25 years with the State Department included assignments as deputy assistant secretary of state with responsibilities for Russia and Ukraine, U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, and special assistant to the president and senior director for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia on the National Security Council. He also served in Warsaw, Geneva, Moscow and London.

Amb. Steven PIFER

He was born on June 18, 1966 in Lviv. Higher education: in 1991 he graduated Franko Lviv State University majoring in Law, degree with honours. From 1984 to 1986, he served in Airborne Parachute Troops of the USSR Air Force.In 1991 he co-founded a brokerage company the “Galicia Securities”.In 1994 he received Certificate No. 263 on the right to engage in advocacy activities.In 1999-2002 he worked as a Deputy Chairman of the Center for the Development of Ukrainian Legislation in Kyiv.In 2000-2006 he established the firm “Pravis”. Later known as “Reznikov, Vlasenko and Partners”, hereinafter referred to as “Magisters” (as a result of merge with the law firm “Magister and Partners”).In 2011-2014, he was a Head of Litigation Practice at the “Egorov, Puginsky, Afanasiev and Partners” (as a result of merge with the law firm “Magister and Partners”). He was also an attorney and partner at “Magisters”.In 2008-2014, he was Deputy of Kyiv City Council VII convocation.Since June 2014, he has been Deputy of Kyiv City Council VII convocation, elected Deputy Secretary of the Kyiv City Council.Since 2015:- Head of the Ukrainian National delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe in 2015-2016.- Deputy Chairman of the Mayor of the Anti-Corruption Council;- Board Member of the “Let's Do It Together” social project;- Member of the Reformation Team for the Decentralization, Local Government and Regional Policy of the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, and Communal Services of Ukraine;- Advisor to the Kyiv City Mayor.&nbsp;From April 2016 to September 2018:- Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration on the exercise of self-governing powers: exercising the powers of the Kyiv City State Administration on the implementation of state policy in the areas of local self-government, domestic policy, international relations, tourism, advertising, protection of cultural heritage, education, culture, social protection, youth and sports, responsible for the implementation of reforms in the areas of decentralization, local government and other areas of life of the city of Kyiv, etc.In 2017 he was responsible for organizing and conducting of the “Eurovision” Song Contest in Kyiv from the Kyiv City State Administration.In 2018 he was responsible for the organization and conduct of the final match of the UEFA Champions League 2017/2018 season from the Kyiv City State Administration.From November 2018, he renewed his legal practice as a partner at the “Asters” Law Firm". &nbsp;He specializes in alternative dispute resolution, including: expert opinions, negotiation, facilitation, conciliation, mediation, fact-finding, preliminary independent assessment, pre-trial dispute resolution sessions and preparation of settlement agreements.In 2005 and in 2019 he was a member of the Supervisory Board of the “State Savings Bank of Ukraine” (JSC Oschadbank).Since September 2019 he represents Ukraine in the working subgroup on political issues of the Trilateral Contact Group.From March 2020 to November 2021 he was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine.On 3 November 2021 the Verkhovna Rada dismissed him as Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, and subsequently appointed him Minister of Defence.

Oleksii REZNIKOV

Oleksandra Vyacheslavivna Matviychuk is a Ukrainian human rights activist, laureate of the Vasyl Stus and "Defender of Democracy" awards. Head of the Center for Civil Liberties, awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. Works on the issue of human rights in Ukraine and the OSCE region. Nobel Peace Prize 2022.

Oleksandra MATVIICHUK

Hanna Hopko Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament of Ukraine) Committee on Foreign Affairs since December 4, 2014.She holds a Ph.D. degree in social communications, in 2009 defended the thesis “Ecological Journalism: Worldview Aspect”, later graduated the Ukrainian School of Political Studies and became an expert on public lobbying for the Institute of Political Education.In 2014, after the events at Maidan, she, together with other activists of the EuroMaidan civic sector, co-founded the “Reanimation Package of Reforms”.Member of the Board of Trustees of the Ohkmatdyt National Children’s Specialized Hospital since 2011 up to date.Before being elected a member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, she was a member of the Board of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, coordinator of the advocacy campaign “Our Children” of the volunteer movement “Space of Freedom”.Together with other movements and politicians, she advocated the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of 12 laws, including “On Transparency of Public Procurement”, “On Higher Education”, “On Access to Public Information” and the others.In the special elections to the Verkhovna Rada of 2014, she was elected a member of Parliament of Ukraine of the 8th convocation on the list of the Samopomich (“Self Reliance”) Party (No. 1 in the list), excluded from the faction for having supported the draft law on decentralization on August 31, 2015.

Hanna HOPKO

Oleksiy DANILOV, was born in Krasnyi Luch, Luhansk Oblast (Ukraine). He graduated from the Taras Shevchenko Luhansk State Pedagogical University with majors in history, the East Ukrainian Volodymyr Dahl National University with a master's degree in management, and the Luhansk State University of Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine receiving a law degree.In 1994-1997, he was Mayor of Luhansk.In 2005-2006, he was appointed Head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration, Deputy Director of the Institute for European Integration and Development.In 2006-2007, he was a Member of Parliament of the 5th convocation, a member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on State Building, Regional Policy and Local Self-Government.In 2012-2019, he headed the Ukrainian Fund for Entrepreneurship Support.On July 23, 2019, by the Decree of the President of Ukraine №551/2019, he was appointed Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.On October 3, 2019, by the Decree of the President of Ukraine №733/2019, he was appointed Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.

Oleksiy DANILOV

Archbishop of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch

BARTHOLOMEW I

Olena KONDRATIUK is a Ukrainian politician and public relations specialist. She was elected to the Verkhovna Rada in the 2007 Ukrainian parliamentary elections.Olena KONDRATIUK was born in Lviv. In 1993, she graduated from Lviv University as a historian. Later KONDRATIUK also defended her dissertation becoming Candidate of historical sciences.Before being elected to the Verkhovna Rada for the first time in 2007, Kondratiuk was a director of a local PR agency "Radnyk" and a member of Reforms and Order Party. In 2007 she entered the Rada on a party list of the electoral Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko as a member of Reforms and Order Party.

Olena KONDRATIUK

Anka Feldhusen graduated from the Kiel School of Applied Sciences in 1985 and subsequently studied Political Science, Slavistics and English at the Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel (1985-1987) and at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Paris (1987-1990) received her diploma. Was she followed by a course for the higher foreign service at the training center of the Foreign Office in Bonn (1993-1994).From 1994 to 1997 she was press and protocol officer of the German Embassy Kyiv. She completed a master's degree in International Relations at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Medford (1997-1998).From 1998 to 2001 she was protocol officer of the Foreign Office in Bonn and Berlin. During this time, she headed the office of the Foreign Office in Prizren for two months in 2000. She was then a member of the EU Coordinating Staff at the Federal Foreign Office Berlin (2001-2002), Deputy Head of the German Embassy in Havana (2002-2005), Head of the Federal Foreign Office Berlin (2005-2009), Deputy Head of the German Embassy in Kyiv (2009-2015), Head of Unit East Africa of the Federal Foreign Office Berlin (2015-2016) and Head of Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Federal President's Office Berlin (2016-2019). Since July 2019 she is Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kyiv.According to Ukrainian high-rank officials, she is one of the most effective ambassadors of Germany to Ukraine.&nbsp;

Anka FELDHUSEN

1991-1993 – research officer, National Academy of Science of Ukraine, Paton Welding Institute.1993-1997 – Attaché, Third, Second Secretary, Directorate-General for Arms Control and Disarmament, MFA of Ukraine.1997-2000 – Third, Second Secretary, Embassy of Ukraine in the Federal Republic of Germany (political, scientific and technical issues).2000-2002 – First Secretary, Counselor, Department for Economic Cooperation, MFA of Ukraine.2002-2004 – Head of division for economic and sectoral cooperation with the EU, Department for European integration, MFA of Ukraine.2004-2008 – Minister-Counselor, Embassy of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.2008-2010 – Director of the EU Department, MFA of Ukraine.2010-2011 – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.2011-2012 – Deputy Minister, Head of Staff.2012-2014 – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Federal Republic of Germany.19.06.2014-29.08.2019 – appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

Pavlo KLIMKIN

Natalie A. JARESKO was appointed the Minister of Finance of Ukraine by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on December 2, 2014. Prior to that, she was one of the co-founders and Chief Executive Officer of Horizon Capital, a fund manager with over $600 million under management.During 1995-2001 Ms. Jaresko served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Western NIS Enterprise Fund (WNISEF). Prior to joining WNISEF, Ms. Jaresko served as the Chief of the Economic Section of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine from 1992-1995, and in various economic positions at the State Department in Washington, D.C. from 1989-1992.

Natalie A. JARESKO

POROSHENKO Petro Oleksiyovych, born in the city of Bolhrad, Odesa region, on September 26, 1965.Citizen of Ukraine. Resides within the territory of Ukraine since the date of birth, particularly in the course of the last 23 years since the day of declaring the Independence of Ukraine.1982-1989 – Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Faculty of International Relations and International Law. Specialization: International Economic Relations.1984-1986 – military service.1989-1992 – postgraduate student assistant of the Department of International Economic Relations in Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.1993-1998 – CEO of group corporation "Ukrprominvest".1998-2002 – people's deputy of Ukraine of the III convocation.2000-2004 – Deputy Head of the National Bank Council of Ukraine.2002-2005 – people's deputy of Ukraine of the IV convocation. Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Budget Issues.In 2002, he upheld a thesis work "Legal regulation of managing state corporate rights in Ukraine". Candidate of Juridical Sciences.8.02.2005-8.09.2005 – Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.2006-2007 – people's deputy of Ukraine of the V convocation, Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance and Banking Activity.2009-2010 – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.2012 – Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine.2012 – people's deputy of Ukraine of the VII convocation, Co-Head of the Committee on Parliamentary Cooperation Ukraine-EU.1998-2003 – member of the Coordination Council on the Functioning of the Security Market in Ukraine.In 1998, he established a signature Charity Fund which carries out charity projects in various spheres of social life.2000-2002 – Leader of "Solidarity" faction in the Verkhovna Rada of the III convocation.2007-2012 – Head of the National Bank Council of Ukraine.Honored economist of Ukraine, laureate of the State Prize of Ukraine in the sphere of science and technology, laureate of P. Orlyk international prize, holder of the Grand Cross Order of Civil Merit of the Kingdom of Spain.2014-2019 – President of Ukraine.

Petro POROSHENKO

Melinda HARING is the deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. Previously, she was the editor of the Atlantic Council’s most popular publication, the UkraineAlert blog. She is a regular commentator on Ukraine and has written for The Washington Post, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and The National Interest. She is the author of the report Reforming the Democracy Bureaucracy, coauthor of Ukraine’s Internally Displaced Persons Hold a Key to Peace (Atlantic Council, 2017), and a contributor to Does Democracy Matter? (Rowman &amp; Littlefield, 2017).HARING has worked for Eurasia Foundation, Freedom House, and the National Democratic Institute, where she managed democracy assistance programs in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Russia. A graduate of Georgetown University, she holds an MA in Government with a certificate in Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies. HARING is the vice-chair of the board of East Europe Foundation in Kyiv, Ukraine, a member of the supervisory board of Right to Protection in Kyiv, Ukraine, and a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Haring is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Melinda HARING

Stephen SESTANOVICH is the George F. Kennan senior fellow for Russian and Eurasian studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis professor of international diplomacy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. He is the author of Maximalist: America in the World from Truman to Obama, published by Knopf in February 2014.From 1997 to 2001, SESTANOVICH was the U.S. State Department's ambassador-at-large for the former Soviet Union. He has also served as vice president for Russian and Eurasian affairs at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, director of Soviet and East European studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, senior director for policy development at the National Security Council, a member of the State Department’s policy planning staff, and legislative assistant to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.Ambassador SESTANOVICH received his BA summa cum laude from Cornell University and his PhD from Harvard University. He comments frequently on international issues for radio and television, and has written for Foreign Affairs, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy, American Interest, New Republic, Politico Magazine, National Interest, and other publications. He is a member of the board of directors of the National Endowment for Democracy.

Amb. Stephen SESTANOVICH

Arsen AVAKOV is an ukrainian politician and public figure. Born on January 2, 1964. In 1988 he graduated from the Kharkov Polytechnic Institute with the specialty of system engineer in the automated control systems. After graduation, he worked as an engineer in the research institute VNIIOV (Kharkov, Ukraine).In 1990 he founded one of the first joint stock companies in Ukraine – JSC Investor. AVAKOV also co-foundered several charitable entities.During the presidential election campaign in Ukraine in 2004, he was deputy head of the Kharkov regional headquarters of presidential candidate V. Yushchenko, first deputy chairman of the Kharkov regional Peoples’ Salvation Committee.In March 2005 he was elected to the Council of the political party The People’s Union ‘Our Ukraine’ and became a member of the party Presidium.On February 4, 2005, by Decree of the President of Ukraine, he was appointed to the position of the Chairman of the Kharkov Regional State Administration.On February 9, 2010, in protest against systemic support of the presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych during the election by the then President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko, Mr.Avakov resigned from the position of the Chairman of the Kharkov Regional State Administration under Art. 31, Part 3 of the Law of Ukraine “On Public Service” (Principal disagreement with the decision of a state body or official, as well as ethical obstacles to work in the public service).On April 21, 2010, he became a head of the Kharkov regional organization of the political party VO Bat’kivschina (Fatherland) (Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko). He was a member of the party Political Council.In October 2010 he participated in the elections of the mayor of the city of Kharkov. According to the exit polls, he won the majority of votes, however, due to illegal manipulation of the ballots he was not officially recognized as the winner. According to the information of the international human rights organization Freedom House due to massive violations, the result of the election of the mayor of Kharkov was changed in favor of Mr.Gennady Kernes.Mr. AVAKOV was the Member of the Kharkov Regional Council of the Vth and VIth callings.From September 2011 to December 2012 Mr. AVAKOV was in political emigration in Italy due to the President Yanukovych’ regime criminal prosecution for his opposition activities.In the parliamentary elections on October 28, 2012, Arsen AVAKOV was elected People’s Deputy of Ukraine of the 7th Verkhovna &nbsp;Rada in a multi-mandate electoral district. In the Ukrainian Parliament, he held the post of the Chairman of the Subcommittee on the legislation on the status of the people’s deputy of Ukraine in the Verkhovna Rada Committee on the rules, the deputy’s ethics and maintenance of the activities of the Verkhovna Rada.Mr. AVAKOV actively participated in the Revolution of Dignity in Kiev in 2013-2014. &nbsp;He was one of the commandants of EuroMaidan.On February 27, 2014, he was appointed Minister of the Internal Affairs in the Cabinet of Ministers headed by Arseniy Yatsenyuk. In March 2014, he initiated the creation of the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU). &nbsp;Under his leadership and on his initiative, were formed volunteer battalions (dobrobaty), which have played a crucial role in the successful fight against separatism in the South-East of Ukraine.On the night of April 8, 2014, the Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen AVAKOV personally led a special operation to clean the building of the Kharkov regional state administration from the separatists who seized it earlier.On August 26, 2014, Arsen AVAKOV resigned from the Political Council of the Batkivshchyna Party and announced that he would take part in the creation of the new political party “People’s Front”. Subsequently, he joined the governing bodies of this party.In the early parliamentary elections on October 26, 2014, Arsen Avakov was elected a People’s Deputy of Ukraine from the People’s Front party.On December 2, 2014, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine re-approved him as the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in the Cabinet of Ministers headed by Arseniy Yatsenyuk.Under the direct supervision of the Minister AVAKOV, a project to create a Patrol Police was successfully implemented in Ukraine. On November 7, 2015, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed the Law of Ukraine “On the National Police of Ukraine”, which provided for the elimination of the old post-Soviet militia and the cardinal reform of all units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.April 14, 2016, he was appointed as Minister for Interior of Ukraine.August 29, 2019 - appointed as Minister of Interior of Ukraine.March 4, 2020 - appointed Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

Arsen AVAKOV

Ivanna KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE – Ukrainian politician and journalist, and former Vice-Prime-Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine. Was born on 5 July 1972 in Kyiv, Ukraine.1992 – trained at the Summer School of Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, Harvard University (USA).1994 – graduated from the National Pedagogical Dragomanov University, a speciality – defectology and speech therapy. Has received diploma of the specialist (with honors).1993-1994 – studied at the State University of Montana (USA), speciality – international relations and international law.1997 – graduated from the Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv with a degree in international relations and received a bachelor's degree in international relations.1998 – received a master's degree in International Relations (with honors).1991-1993 – Speech therapist at the Children's Territorial Medical Association of Starokyivsky District;1994-1999 – Project Manager, Head of the Department of International Relations, NGO 'Ukrainian Independent Center for Political Studies';1999-2002 – Project Manager at 'Kyiv Center of the East-West Institute';2001-2002 – Acting Director of the 'Kyiv Center of the East-West Institute';2002-2007 – Correspondent in the Ukrainian BBC Radio Service (BBC) in US (Washington) and in the Caucasus (Tbilisi);2007-2009 – Deputy Director for Programs of the International Charitable Organization 'Fund for Support of International Cooperation of Ukraine' ('Open Ukraine Foundation');2009-2011 – Director of the International Charitable Organization "Fund for Support of International Cooperation of Ukraine" ("Open Ukraine Foundation");Since 2011 – Director of charitable organization 'Yalta European Strategy';In 1994-99 Ivanna Klympush worked for the Ukrainian Independent Center of Political Research, while attending the Institute of International Relations in University of Kyiv which she graduated in 1998.board member of the Public Organization 'Ukrainian Media Center' ('Ukrainian Crisis Media Center'); Alumni of 'Aspen-Ukraine' Association; Member of supervisory boards of the NGO 'Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting' and NGO 'Ukrainian Institute of Public Policy'.Co-author of the book 'The Black Sea Region: Cooperation and Security'.During the elections to the Verkhovna Rada of the VIII convocation (2014) she passed to the Parliament from the party Petro Poroshenko Bloc 'The Solidarity' under the number 61. She was MP from 27 November 2014 to 14 April 2016.In the July 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election Klympush-Tsintsadze was placed tenth on the party list of European Solidarity. She was elected to parliament.

Ivanna KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE

Ambassador John E. HERBST is the director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. Ambassador HERBST served for thirty-one years as a Foreign Service officer in the US Department of State, retiring with the rank of career-minister.He was the US ambassador to Ukraine (2003-2006). Prior to his ambassadorship in Ukraine, he was the ambassador to Uzbekistan (2000-2003). In his last four years at the State Department, he served as the coordinator for reconstruction and stabilization, leading the US government’s civilian capacity in societies in transition from conflict or civil strife, and to provide support to countries at risk of instability. Ambassador HERBST previously served as US consul general in Jerusalem; principal deputy to the ambassador-at-large for the Newly Independent States; the director of the Office of Independent States and Commonwealth Affairs; director of regional affairs in the Near East Bureau; and at the embassies in Tel Aviv, Moscow, and Saudi Arabia. He most recently served as director of the Center for Complex Operations at National Defense University.He has received two Presidential Distinguished Service Awards, the Secretary of State’s Career Achievement Award, the State Department’s Distinguished Honor Award, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Distinguished Civilian Service Award. Ambassador HERBST’s writings on stability operations, Central Asia, Ukraine, and Russia are widely published.

Amb. John HERBST

Nils Schmid has been a member of the German Bundestag for the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) since September 2017. He serves as a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Since 2018, he is the Spokesman on Foreign Affairs of the SPD Parliamentary Group.From 1997 to 2017, Nils Schmid was a member of State Parliament of Baden-Wurttemberg. In 2006, his party elected him as Deputy Chairman of the SPD Parliamentary Group. In 2009, he became Chairman of the SPD Baden-Wurttemberg. From 2011 to 2016, he served as Minister of Finance and Economy and as Deputy Minister President of Baden-Wurttemberg. After securing a mandate for the Bundestag in the German federal elections in 2017, he resigned his seat in the State Parliament.He served as a member of the supervisory board of the Energie Baden-Württemberg AG (EnBW), Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) and Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (LBBW).Nils Schmid graduated in Law Studies from the University of Tübingen in 1999. In 2006, He completed his dissertation on “Public Facility Management, Public Debt, and Public Property” with summa cum laude.Nils Schmid was born on 11 July 1973. He is married to Tülây Schmid; the couple has two children.

Dr. Nils SCHMID

Elmar Brok has been member of the European Parliament since 1980. In almost all of his terms, he was member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and was Chair in 1999-2007 and 2012-2017. Today he is substitute member to the Delegation to the United States, where he is a member since 1985 and was Chair between 2009-2012. He was EPP representative at the European Parliament Intergovernmental Conferences on the Treaty of Lisbon, EU Constitutional Treaty (2003/2004), Treaty of Nice (2000), Treaty of Amsterdam (1996/97) and on the Council’s Reflection Group preparing the Maastricht Treaty.In 1990 he was Chairman of the EPP in the Special Committee on German Unification. Between 1973-1983, he was Deputy Chairman of the Junge Union, Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Democrat Youth Committee of Europe from 1977 to 1981, Vice Chairman of the International Democrat Union from 1991 to 2003 and Founding Chairman of the International Democrat Youth UnionHe is co-chair of the Transatlantic Legislators´ Dialogue (TLD) of the European Parliament and the US Congress since 1999 and is Co-Chairman of TPN. He is Deputy Chairman of the World Association of Christian Democrat International (CDI), President of the European Union of Christian Democratic Workers (EUCDW), Chairman of the CDU Federal Committee on European Policy and Chairman of the board of the European Endowment for Democracy (EED). He is also Member of the CDU Federal Board; Member of the Executive National Council of the CDU NRW and Member of the party executive of the EPP and Co-Chairman of the EPP-foreign minister.He studied at the Centre of European Governmental Studies (Edinburgh University) and was a journalist for a number of radios and newspapers.

Elmar BROK

Timothy Snyder is the Richard C. Levin Professor of History at Yale University and a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. He speaks five and reads ten European languages. His eight chief books are Nationalism, Marxism, and Modern Central Europe: A Biography of Kazimierz Kelles-Krauz (1998); The Reconstruction of Nations: Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, 1569-1999 (2003); Sketches from a Secret War: A Polish Artist’s Mission to Liberate Soviet Ukraine (2005); The Red Prince: The Secret Lives of a Habsburg Archduke (2008); Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin (2010), Thinking the Twentieth Century (with Tony Judt, 2012); Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning (2015); On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century (2017); and The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America (2018). Snyder co-edited three further books: The Wall Around the West: State Borders and Immigration Controls in Europe and North America (2001); Stalin and Europe: Terror, War, Domination (2013); and The Balkans as Europe (2018). His essays are collected in Ukrainian History, Russian Politics, European Futures (2014), and The Politics of Life and Death (2015).Snyder's work has appeared in forty languages and has received a number of prizes, incuding the Emerson Prize in the Humanities, the Literature Award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Václav Havel Foundation prize, the Foundation for Polish Science prize in the social sciences, the Leipzig Award for European Understanding, the Dutch Auschwitz Committee award, and the Hannah Arendt Prize in Political Thought. Snyder was a Marshall Scholar at Oxford, and has received the Carnegie and Guggenheim fellowships, and holds state orders from Estonia, Lithuania, and Poland. He has appeared in documentaries, on network television, and in major films. His books have inspired posters, sculpture, punk rock, rap, film, theater, and opera. His words are quoted in political demonstrations around the world. He is currently researching a family history of nationalism and writing a philosophical book about freedom.

Timothy SNYDER

He graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy of the Shevchenko National University (a diploma of a political scientist). The degree of the Ph.D. of political sciences was obtained at the Institute of Political and Ethnonational Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Since the beginning of 2000, he has been engaged in political consulting and communication strategies. Author of numerous publications. Regularly invited to the media to comment political processes and international relations.He takes an active part in public discussion of bills on occupied territories. One of the initiators of the civil campaign "No - changes to the Constitution during a martial law!" (In the summer of 2015, on the eve of the adoption in the 1st reading of the constitutional amendments concerning the "special status of the Donbas", the relevant petition to the authorities was signed by dozens of well-known Ukrainians). One of the founders of the Civil Initiative "Close the Kremlin`s Bazoo" which opposes the hidden Russian media on the territory of Ukraine. Co-founder of the non-profit organization "Institute for Actual Research", which primarily deals with the public initiative "Protection of Migrant Workers".

Mykhailo BASARAB

He is Senior Fellow &amp; Director of the Russia Program at the Center for European Policy Analysis. Before joining CEPA he was Senior Russia Analyst at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. He also worked as a foreign correspondent for The Boston Globe in Moscow and Prague; as a graduate instructor in the Department of Government and International Studies at the University of South Carolina; and as a visiting lecturer in the History Faculty at Mechnikov National University in Odessa, Ukraine and the International Relations Faculty at St. Petersburg State University.

Brian WHITMORE

Ms. Maronkova became the Director of the NATO Information and Documentation Center in Ukraine in March, 2017.Previously she worked at the NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division in Brussels, Belgium as program coordinator to oversee projects that aim to raise awareness and promote NATO in a number of NATO member states.As of September 2010, she works as program manager and is responsible for designing, planning and implementing public diplomacy campaigns in the Western Balkans. She actively works on NATO’s Partnerships and Open door policies. In this capacity, she advises candidate countries on their national public awareness campaigns on NATO membership.As of 2012, she co-leads the Evaluation and Assessment program for the Division. Previously, she worked for a private airline company, Sky Europe Airlines on a number of projects including internal communications. In 2003, she established and headed a Slovak-based NGO Centre for European and North Atlantic Affairs to contribute to the public and academic debate on Slovakia’s membership to the EU and NATO. Her work included public relations and media appearances, public speaking, donors and stakeholders relations as well as the management of the NGO.A graduate of the University of Economics in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, Barbora is also an alumnus of the CPD Summer Institute and holds a Public Affairs diploma from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in the UK.Maronkova's 2015-2017 CPD Research Fellowship project titled, From Crawling to Walking; Progress in Evaluating the Effectiveness of Public Diplomacy (Lessons Learned from NATO).

Barbora MARONKOVA

Ambassador Kurt Volker is a leading expert in U.S. foreign and national security policy with some 30 years of experience in a variety of government, academic, and private sector capacities. Ambassador Volker serves as Executive Director of The McCain Institute for International Leadership, a part of Arizona State University based in Washington, DC.He is also a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, a Senior Advisor at the Atlantic Council, and a Trustee of IAU College in Aix-en-Provence, France. He is a consultant to international business, a member of the Board of Directors of CG Funds Trust, and had previously served as Managing Director, International, for BGR Group. He has taught Transatlantic Relations at The George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs. &nbsp;In July 2017, Secretary of State Tillerson appointed Ambassador Volker as U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations.

Amb. Kurt VOLKER

Master in History, University of Toronto, 1985. Began his career with External Affairs Canada in 1988. First posted as Second Secretary (Political) in Moscow, he subsequently served as Counsellor (Political) in Kyiv and Counsellor (Political) and Minister-Counsellor (Political/Economic) in Berlin.In Ottawa, Mr. Waschuk’s postings have included Deputy Director of the European Union Division, Deputy Director of the Policy Planning Division, Director of the Global Partnership for Biological Non-Proliferation, Chemical Weapons Destruction and Redirection of Former Weapons Scientists Division, and Director of the Stabilization and Reconstruction Programs Division. In 2011-2014, Mr. Waschuk served as Ambassador to Serbia, with concurrent accreditation to Montenegro and Macedonia. Since December 1st, 2014, Mr. Waschuk serves as Ambassador to Ukraine.

Amb. Roman WASCHUK

Andriy Parubiy – Ukrainian politician. Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (since April 14, 2016). Member of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.Secretary of National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine from February 27 to August 7, 2014. People's deputy of Ukraine of 6th, 7th and 8th convocation. Member of SNPU (1994-2004), "Nasha Ukraina" (2004-2012), "Front Zmin" (2012), All-Ukrainian Union "Batkivshchyna" (2012-2014), "People's Front" (2014). During Euromaidan was the commandant of Maidan Self-Defense.Mr. Parubiy graduated from the History Department of Lviv National Ivan Franko University, received the diploma on specialty "historian, teacher of history".In 2001 he graduated from the graduate school of the State University "Lviv Polytechnic" with the specialty "political science and sociology".Active member of the "Orange Revolution". During the events of November-December 2004 he was the commandant of the Ukrainian House in Kyiv. Awarded the commemorative medal "Prominent participant of the Orange Revolution". Member of the political council of the party "Nasha Ukraina".From November 2013 to February 2014 he coordinated the daily operation of Euromaidan (m. Kyiv, Independence Square); was the actual commander and the head of his campsite and the head of Maidan Self-Defense units.After signing by the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych and the opposition leaders of the Agreement on the resolution of political crisis in Ukraine on February 21, 2014, on the night from February 21 to February 22, Self-Defense units, led by Parubiy, took control over the government block in Kyiv – Parliament building, presidential Administration, the Cabinet and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.On February 27, 2014, after the victory of Euromaidan, the decree of acting President of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov &nbsp;appointed Andrew Parubiy the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. At the time of his tenure the annexation of Crimea by Russia and the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine occurred. As a Secretary of National Security and Defense Parubiy was in charge of anti-terrorist operation against separatists in eastern Ukraine.On December 4, 2014 by the votes of 313 MPs he was elected First Vice Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. On April 14, 2016 A. Parubiy was elected Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Andriy PARUBIY

Vitaly Portnikov graduated from Moscow State University, Faculty of Journalism in 1990. During his studies, he cooperated with the Kyiv newspaper Molod' Ukrainy. Since 1989, he works as the analyst of the Nezavisimaya Gazeta, specializing in Post-Soviet countries, and cooperates with the Russian and Ukrainian services of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.In 2007, he was the editor-in-chief of the Media-Dom holding by the Ukrainian newspaper Gazeta24. Since 2008, he has been the author of the weekly TV show "Kyivski pohliad". His areas of interest are also Jews and the Middle East.In May 2010, Mr. Portnikov worked as an editor-in-chief of TVi. In November 2012, he became president of this channel.In November 2013, Portnikov started creating programs for Espreso TV.Vitaly Portnikov is the winner of the "Zolote Pero 1989", the award of the Ukrainian Association of Journalists. He has also been nominated for the title of the Journalist of the Year in Ukraine.

Vitaly PORTNIKOV

<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;caret-color:rgb(51, 51, 51);color:rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:&quot;PT Sans&quot;, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 10px;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;">Mr. Groysman was born in Vinnytsia.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;caret-color:rgb(51, 51, 51);color:rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:&quot;PT Sans&quot;, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 10px;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;">Education: 1995-1999 – Vinnytsia Institute of Regional Economics and Management, Diploma of junior specialist, Jurisprudence specialty;<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;caret-color:rgb(51, 51, 51);color:rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:&quot;PT Sans&quot;, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 10px;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;">2000-2002 – Interregional Academy of Personnel Management, the Degree of Bachelor of Laws, Diploma of Legal Practice;<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;caret-color:rgb(51, 51, 51);color:rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:&quot;PT Sans&quot;, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 10px;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;">2002-2003 – Interregional Academy of Personnel Management, Diploma of specialist, Jurisprudence specialty;<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;caret-color:rgb(51, 51, 51);color:rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:&quot;PT Sans&quot;, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 10px;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;">2007-2010 – the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine, Master of Public Administration.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;caret-color:rgb(51, 51, 51);color:rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:&quot;PT Sans&quot;, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 10px;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;">1994-2005 – senior positions in commercial structures.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;caret-color:rgb(51, 51, 51);color:rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:&quot;PT Sans&quot;, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 10px;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;">2002 – elected to the Vinnytsia City Council. Deputy Chairman of the constant Deputy Commission of the City Council for Human Rights, the Rule of Law, Deputy Activity and Ethics.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;caret-color:rgb(51, 51, 51);color:rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:&quot;PT Sans&quot;, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 10px;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;">November 2005 –&nbsp;Secretary of Vinnytsia City Council, acting Vinnytsia Mayor.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;caret-color:rgb(51, 51, 51);color:rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:&quot;PT Sans&quot;, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 10px;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;">2006 – elected Mayor of the city of Vinnytsia at the age of 28, marked as the youngest Mayor of the regional center of Ukraine.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;caret-color:rgb(51, 51, 51);color:rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:&quot;PT Sans&quot;, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 10px;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;">2010 – re-elected Vinnytsia Mayor for the second term, having received the support of 77.81% voters. Vice-President of the Association of Ukrainian Cities and Communities on issues of housing and communal services.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;caret-color:rgb(51, 51, 51);color:rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:&quot;PT Sans&quot;, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 10px;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;">February 27, 2014 –&nbsp;Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine/Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;caret-color:rgb(51, 51, 51);color:rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:&quot;PT Sans&quot;, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 10px;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;">November 27, 2014 – Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;caret-color:rgb(51, 51, 51);color:rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:&quot;PT Sans&quot;, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 10px;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;">April 14, 2016 – Prime minister of Ukraine.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;caret-color:rgb(51, 51, 51);color:rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:&quot;PT Sans&quot;, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 10px;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;">Mr. Groysman has Orders "For merits" of II and III class, Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.

Volodymyr GROYSMAN

Since 2004, James Bezan has been successfully elected five times as the Canadian Member of Parliament in the riding of Selkirk-Interlake-Eastman in the province of Manitoba. Over the course of his parliamentary career, he has chaired the House of Commons' Standing Committees for Agriculture and Agri-Food (2007-2008); Environment (2008-2011); and National Defence (2011-2013). &nbsp;Bezan served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence from 2013-2015, and was active on files dealing with military procurement, mental health in the armed forces, the war against ISIS, and Russia's aggression in Ukraine. &nbsp;Bezan currently serves in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet as the Official Opposition Shadow Minister for National Defence, and is Vice-Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence.Bezan has been very outspoken on the issue of Ukrainian sovereignty, democracy and human rights, and as a result, was one of thirteen Canadian officials sanctioned by the Russian government in 2014. &nbsp;For his work on Ukrainian issues he has been recognized with numerous awards both in Canada and abroad, including the ‘Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise’ (Ukraine’s highest civilian award) for his 2008 private members’ bill to recognize the Holomodor as genocide. Bezan recently sponsored Bill S-226, the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law) in the House of Commons. The Bill received unanimous support and was passed into law on October 18, 2017.

James BEZAN

Francis FUKUYAMA is an American political scientist, political economist, and writer. FUKUYAMA is known for his book The End of History and the Last Man (1992), which argues that the worldwide spread of liberal democracies and free-market capitalism of the West and its lifestyle may signal the end point of humanity's sociocultural evolution and become the final form of human government. However, his subsequent book Trust: Social Virtues and Creation of Prosperity (1995) modified his earlier position to acknowledge that culture cannot be cleanly separated from economics. Fukuyama is also associated with the rise of the neoconservative movement, from which he has since distanced himself.FUKUYAMA has been a senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies since July 2010 and a Mosbacher Director of the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law at Stanford University. In August 2019, he was named director of the Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy at Stanford.Before that, he served as a professor and director of the International Development program at the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University. Previously, he was Omer L. and Nancy Hirst Professor of Public Policy at the School of Public Policy at George Mason University.He is a council member of the International Forum for Democratic Studies founded by the National Endowment for Democracy and was a member of the Political Science Department of the RAND Corporation. He is also one of the 25 leading figures on the Information and Democracy Commission launched by Reporters Without Borders.

Francis FUKUYAMA

David Eades is a journalist and newsreader working for BBC News. He presents the news during the week, including World News Today. He also presents previously BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight.He has held the posts of Europe Correspondent, Ireland correspondent and senior Sports News Correspondent, as well as the specialist position of Channel Tunnel Correspondent at the time of its construction.He has presented the evening slot on BBC News 24 most weekdays alongside Carrie Gracie. David has reported on many other major news events. He has also presented weekend editions of Breakfast. He is a mentor and trainer for BBC journalists and presenters and also delivers presentational training beyond the broadcasting field.He runs his own business called "Allday Media Ltd", providing film production services. David also moderates at international conferences, in particular on areas of European affairs, Sustainability and Sport.

David EADES

Mykola Kniazhytskyi is a Ukrainian journalist, member of Ukrainian Parliament, and the head of the Committee of Cultural and Spirituality. In 1992, he earned a journalism degree from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. In 2003, he earned a postgraduate degree from the faculty of international law and business from the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.In the past, Mykola Kniazhytskyi was the head of the Tonis Media Company and TV channels as well as STB, UT-1, Hazeta 24, and TVi. Mykola Kniazhytskyi was a member of the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine. Kniazhytskyi is a member of the Austrian International Press Institute. He is married with two sons and a daughter. Mykola Kniazhytskyi is the producer of a number of documentaries.

Mykola KNIAZHYTSKYI

Volodymyr Horbulin is Ukrainian politician, scientist, statesman. Doctor of Science (1994), Professor (1995), Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (1997). Advisor to the President of Ukraine (1999), director of the National Institute for Strategic Studies (2014-2018).Mr. Horbulin graduated from the School of Physics and Technology of the Dnipropetrovsk University, specializing in "flying machines".In 1962-1977 he worked at CB "South" (Dnipropetrovsk), was a direct participant in the development of strategic missile systems and spacecraft series "Cosmos."From 1977 to 1990 he worked in the office of the Communist Party of Ukraine. Since 1980 – Head of the rocket and aircraft sector. He participated in organizing and coordinating the work of all the programs of rocket-space and aviation technology in Ukraine.Since 1990 he was in charge of the Subdivision of defense industry, communications and engineering at the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.Since 1992 – Director General of the National Space Agency of Ukraine. Director of development and direct participant in the creation and implementation of the first National Space Program of Ukraine (1992-1994). Member of the International Academy of Astronautics.Since August 5, 1994 – Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council under the President of Ukraine, since October 17, 1994 – Secretary of the NSDC, Ukraine presidential adviser on national security.From August 30, 1996 to November 10, 1999 – Secretary of Defense Council of Ukraine. One of the authors of the Concept of National Security and Defense of Ukraine, the State program of construction and development of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other leading documents on strategy building and development.November 1999 – Advisor to the President of Ukraine.From July 2000 to December 2002 – Chairman of the State Commission on military-industrial complex of Ukraine. Director and member of state-run program of the development of armament and military equipment and the Concept of structural reconstruction of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine. Since December 2002 – Ukraine presidential aide on national security.In January 2003, in accordance with the decree of President of Ukraine, he created the National Center for Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine, and heads the work on a voluntary basis.From May 24 to October 10, 2006 – Acting Secretary of the NSDC.Mr. Horbulin is the chairman and co-founder of the Council for Foreign and Security Policy.From June 26, 2014 – Advisor to the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.In 2014-2018 – Director of the National Institute for Strategic Studies.

Volodymyr HORBULIN

James Sherr is an Associate Fellow of Chatham House and former head, between 2008 and 2011, of the Russia and Eurasia programme. He was a member of the Social Studies Faculty of Oxford University from 1993 to 2012, a fellow of the Conflict Studies Research Centre of the UK Ministry of Defence from 1995 to 2008 and Director of Studies of the Royal United Services Institute (1983-1985) He is also a Visiting Fellow of the Razumkov Centre, Kyiv, a Senior Associate Fellow of the Institute of Statecraft and a former GMF Bosch Fellow at the Transatlantic Academy, Washington.For twenty-five years, James Sherr has advised governments in the UK, NATO, the EU about developments in Russia and Ukraine, has worked closely with Ukraine on defence and security sector reform and over the past ten years has participated regularly in Baltic security forums. He has published extensively on Soviet, Russian and Ukrainian military, security and foreign policy, as well as energy security and the Black Sea region. His latest book is Hard Diplomacy and Soft Coercion: Russia’s Influence Abroad (Chatham House, 2013). Other publications include The Militarization of Russian Policy (Transatlantic Academy, Washington 2017), The New East-West Discord: Russian Objectives, Western Interests (Clingendael, December 2015) “Ukraine: A War of Narratives and Arms” (in The Russia Challenge, Chatham House, June 2015), The Mortgaging of Ukraine’s Independence (Chatham House 2010) and Russia and the West: A Reassessment (UK Defence Academy 2008). He also has written a commentary on Brexit, “Sovereignty in Isolation: The UK and the West after Brexit”, published in Krytyka (in English and Ukrainian July 2016) and a separate commentary in Diplomaatia (September 2016).

James SHERR

Oleksandr Turchynov is a Ukrainian politician, writer and economist. He is the current Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine.Mr. Turchynov is a former acting President of Ukraine from the removal from power of President Viktor Yanukovych on 21 February 2014 until Petro Poroshenko was sworn in as Ukrainian President on 7 June 2014. He then became Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament until 27 November 2014. Mr. Turchynov also served as acting Prime Minister in 2010.He graduated from the Dnipropetrovsk Metallurgical Institute in 1986, after which he worked at Kryvorizhstal, a large Ukrainian steel producer. From 1987 to 1990, he served as head of the agitation and propaganda division of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Committee. In 1993 Mr. Turchynov was appointed an advisor on economic issues to Prime Minister.In 1998, he was elected to parliament. He was also re-elected to parliament in 2002, 2006, 2012 and 2014.On 4 February 2005, Mr.Turchynov was appointed and served as the first‐ever civilian head of the Security Service of Ukraine.On 4 March 2010 Oleksandr Turchynov was empowered to fulfill the Prime Minister's duties until a new government was formed.On 22 February 2014, he was elected as speaker of Verkhovna Rada. On 23 February 2014, Oleksandr &nbsp;Turchynov was designated as acting President of Ukraine following the impeachment of Viktor Yanukovych. On 25 February Turchynov assumed the (Presidential power of) command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.On 10 September 2014, he became founding member the new party People's Front.On 16 December 2014, President Poroshenko appointed Turchynov as Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine.