Thank you for staying committed to relief efforts to support the people of Ukraine. Here are the things we're reading:
Hello Friend,
Thank you for joining past Council conversations about philanthropic response to the war in Ukraine. We hope these updates on the latest developments in Ukraine will support your continued work in the region.
If you have any questions, feedback, or resources to include in our next Ukraine Digest, please contact our Global Philanthropy team.
Events and Resources
The recent Philanthropy Supporting Ukraine online roundtable, held on November 15, focused on revitalizing Ukraine’s news media market.
Panelists praised Ukrainian media professionals for their resilience and noted that the war has impacted not only frontline reporters, but the entire journalistic community, which is continuously deluged with images of the suffering.
Media in Ukraine
The Reckoning Project is collecting witness testimony and other evidence for future use in prosecuting Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma and the Global Forum for Media Development offer recommendations for addressing the urgent mental health needs of Ukrainian journalists who have been covering the death, pain and destruction caused by Russia’s horrific invasion.
Ukraine’s fight against Russian disinformation is creating a new startup sector. According to The Next Web, like much of Ukrainian society, the country’s tech workers have adopted a military ethos, enlisting their skills in defense technologies, hacking activities and the information war.
Otar Dovzhenko, an expert with the Lviv Media Forum, writes that the war has brought a transformation of the Ukrainian news ecosystem – the influence of oligarch-controlled media has faded and fostering an expansion of viable, democratic, independent journalism in Ukraine is now high on the agenda.
Updates on Key Players
In a recent televised address to the nation meant to rally support for US global engagement, President Biden said: “if we walk away and let Putin erase Ukraine’s independence, would-be aggressors around the world would be emboldened to try the same.” Biden has requested that Congress approve an additional $61 billion in US assistance for Ukraine. The New Yorker profiled US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, exploring the debate about the pace and scope of US military assistance delivered to Ukraine.
Lloyd Austin, the US Secretary of Defense, met with President Zelenskyy in Kyiv, where he reaffirmed long-term US support for Ukraine and announced a new package of security assistance.
Pete Buttigieg, the US Secretary of Transportation, visited the Ukrainian capital. In a video recap of the trip, he said that “Ukraine will emerge from this war victorious with even stronger institutions, infrastructure, and alliances.”
A New York Times journalist traveled around Ukraine with USAID Administrator Samantha Power and came away with a favorable assessment of the impact of US humanitarian and economic aid in the country.
Penny Pritzker, the US Representative for Ukraine’s Economic Recovery, visited Kyiv, saying she has begun working with the Ukrainian government to support the opening of export markets, the mobilization of foreign direct investment, and the acceleration of the country’s economic recovery. President Biden appointed her to the newly-created position in September.
Ukraine and the European Union
The new European Union ambassador to Ukraine is Katerina Mathernova. Soon after her arrival in Kyiv she said: “I will do my utmost to support Ukraine’s reform process as an EU candidate country, because the future of Ukraine is in Europe." The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, recommends that the European Union begin accession negotiations with Ukraine.
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, issued a statement marking the 10th anniversary of the Euromaidan Revolution of Dignity: “A whole nation took to the streets, and spoke with one voice. You said: Ukraine belongs in Europe. And our future belongs to us. And that is why the people of Ukraine wrapped themselves in European flags – defying the snipers and the riot police.”
Education Support
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has launched a MIT-Ukraine program which supports Ukrainians, including through topical webinars and a world map that highlights the locations of Ukrainian scientists, making it easier to find and connect with fellow professionals.
The Vienna-based Central University is continuing its Invisible University for Ukraine program which consists of online lecture courses, mentoring and skills-building for some 360 Ukrainians, during the current academic year.
In September, the Council on Foundations Philanthropy Supporting Ukraine roundtable was devoted to innovations in education as countless Ukrainian schools have been destroyed or severely damaged by Russia’s unprovoked invasion.
