As part of the Ambassador Insider Series in Washington, newly appointed Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States Olha Stefanishyna presented her vision of how Ukraine continues to live and fight amid Russia’s full-scale invasion. It was her first public address since assuming office. The event brought together about 120 guests — diplomats, business leaders, government officials, and journalists — and was broadcast live by C-SPAN, with media coverage from CNN, Politico, and The New York Times.
This was reported by The Washington Diplomat.
According to The Washington Diplomat, Stefanishyna recalled the first hours of Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022. She shared how she evacuated her children and parents before immediately joining a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council.
“By 5 a.m., I was already in the office with members of the Security and Defense Council and the President, making decisions essential for the country’s functioning. Those were the first moments of the war,” Stefanishyna said.
The Ambassador emphasized that her main mission now is to strengthen Ukraine–U.S. relations and maintain effective communication to bring peace closer.
“My main goal is to ensure that Ukraine and the United States build bilateral relations and reinforce efforts to end the war… but also to not waste a single second in saving human lives,” she stated.
She also drew attention to the rising number of civilian casualties caused by Russian attacks. According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, more than 14,000 civilians have been killed and around 35,000 wounded.
“Bombs fall at night, but in the morning, the whole country wakes up, gets dressed, and goes to work. People keep living. It’s a matter of survival,” Stefanishyna added.
Discussing the political context, the diplomat commented on reports of potential talks involving Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as recent Western sanctions. She noted that today there exists a level of trust that allows for straightforward dialogue.
“You don’t waste time on diplomacy, courtesies, or nice meetings. You go straight to the point and then get back to work,” said Stefanishyna.
When asked about Trump’s statements suggesting the war could have been prevented if he were in power in 2022, the Ambassador responded:
“If a person holds such a view and dares to express it openly, that deserves great respect. Because if the president of the most powerful country in the world says this, it means that perhaps he truly would have done everything possible to prevent the war.”
In closing, Stefanishyna reminded the audience that the world must not idealize Russia.
“It’s pleasant to talk with European and American colleagues about Russia, but we must not view that country through the lens of our own values and knowledge. The world has seen the bodies of murdered Ukrainians in the streets and mass graves without names. This goes beyond any comprehension,” she concluded.
Previously, Stefanishyna served as Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine. Now, as Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S., she continues to strengthen the partnership that, in her words, makes “Ukraine’s survival in this war possible.”
Photo: washdiplomat
Author: Danylo Pievchev
