Ukraine, Zelensky to Stanford? Mc Faul: “We have bet on Kiev since 2005”

The announcement of an almost certain visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the end of the month to Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, communicated by the head of the presidential office Andriy Yermak, following a telephone conversation with Michael McFaul, director of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Fsi, is part of a “long-lasting relationship, of shared values ​​and commitment to democracy, freedom and civil society” between Ukraine and the University, visited by Zelensky as early as 2021 and where the Ukrainian president, delivering a speech that later became historic, the first and only one in an American university, said: “Our people love democracy and freedom …. we know that anything is possible”. It is by looking at Ukraine’s vocation towards democracy and freedom that since 2005 the FSI has invested in the training of more than 225 Ukrainians in the context of the Uelp, Ukraine Emerging leader program, in the Draper Hills Summer Fellows Program and in the Leadership Academy for Development (Lad). The ‘Bernard and Susan Liautaud visiting fellow’ program was attended by former Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk, the youngest Prime Minister in the history of the country, in office from 29 August 2019 to 4 March 2020. “We made a great bet back in 2005 on the cause of Ukraine that we consider a country at the forefront of the global struggle for democracy “, said the director of the ISF, Michael McFaul, identifying in the Summer Fellows program, later called Draper Hills, the first investment of the ISF 17 years ago to train mid-career professionals from emerging democracies, including Ukraine, the FSI is now committed to ensuring the safety of its Ukrainian alumni, overseeing the development and implementation of their projects, and to fight for a democratic Ukraine in the main media. McFaul testified to the US Congress, wrote editorials, and was involved in back-channel discussions with senior Administration officials. He even appeared on Stephen Colbert’s famous show to discuss the issue. He is co-editor of “Revolution in Orange”, a 2006 book that examines Ukraine’s democratic process. Francis Fukuyama, senior fellow of the FSI at Olivier Nomellini and former director of the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (Cddrl) of the FSI, recently published articles on the strategic situation in Ukraine, sharing deep concerns about the Ukrainians under attack. “We tried to help them in any way possible,” he said. To foster the development of skills on Ukraine, the Freeman Spogli Institute has also established a Special Fund for Ukrainian Initiatives, which will provide discretionary support for research, teaching and awareness-raising of policies directed at that country. But the heart of the training interventions are aimed at the skills of the new generations, ready to act on the front line and in the rear. “Our theory of change – explained Fukuyama – is that we understand that we cannot provide political advice to a country that is like this. away from us. But what we can try to do is help him train a new generation of leaders, who will inherit power and, in the near future, hopefully bring the country to better results while we keep in touch with them and support them ” To this end, the Ukrainian Emerging Leaders Program offers a 10-month scholarship of academic training in support of three mid-career professionals, who actively work as policy makers, lawyers, entrepreneurs and leaders of civil society organizations in Ukraine. (By Roberta Lanzara)