For many, the name Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not mean much until the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Yet, his face and voice have become well known to many via social media and powerful international addresses. In this episode, we take a step back and look at his political journey from TV character to the commander in chief and how his journey speaks to a transition point for Ukraine’s politics and national identity. To answer these questions, joining us on the podcast is Ms. Orysia Lutsevych.
Orysia Lutsevych is a research fellow and manager of the Ukraine Forum in the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House.
As our first Academy Robert Bosch fellow, Orysia produced the influential How to finish a revolution: civil society and democracy in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. She focuses on social change and the role of civil society in democratic transition in the post-Soviet region. Her recent research analysed Russia’s use of proxy NGOs in achieving its foreign policy objectives.