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President Zelenskyy on Friday: "We need you all to come back."
One of many standing ovations for Ukraine's leader.
Amidst active Russian bombings of Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Zoomed into New Haven — to virtually address the next generation of Yale-educated leaders, and to encourage Ukrainian-born students like Tania Tsunik to return home after graduating to help rebuild their war-torn country.
“I’m so proud to see students like you representing Ukraine in the United States and the world,” Zelenskyy told Tsunik, who is a junior at Yale. “We need to do everything we can so that students like you can come back and rebuild our country. We need you all to come back and build up our infrastructure, STEM fields, and security.”
The exchange with Tsunik was one part of an hour-and-a-half-long conversation on Friday among Zelenskyy, Yale professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld (who organized the event), South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, Connecticut U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Yale President Peter Salovey, and Yale historian professor Timothy Snyder. The Ukrainian president participated in the Yale School of Management-hosted event via a live video stream.
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Professor Sonnenfeld leading Friday's talk.
500 students fill SOM for Friday's talk.
Zelenskyy, Graham, and Blumenthal discussed new details on the next arms package the U.S. is looking to provide to Ukraine. They also responded to Russian President Vladmir Putin’s call on Thursday for the U.S. to bring Ukraine to the negotiating table. Graham told Zelenskyy and the audience on Friday that an aid package will be passed before the new Congress is sworn in next year.
The conversation was live-streamed by CNBC, with CNBC’s Senior White House Correspondent Kayla Tausche also serving on the panel. Excerpts from the conversation were quickly picked up by international and U.S. media.
“The Fight For Democracy Is In Ukraine”
Tania Tsunik, who is from the same region as Zelenskyy, asking the Ukrainian president about plans for rebuilding.
The Q&A period began with Tausche asking Zelenskyy about when and how negotiations with Russia will occur.
Zelenskyy told attendees that there is “always a willingness to end the war,” but that Ukraine is committed to defending its entire territorial sovereignty. He framed Ukraine as the vanguard against unchecked Russian aggression.
“Ukrainians are the ones fighting for the values of civilized society and democracy,” Zelenskyy said. “The fight for democracy is in Ukraine right now.”
When asked by Tausche if Zelenskyy is calling for regime change in Russia given previous statements about not negotiating with Putin, Zelenskyy said that he does not believe that negotiations are possible with Putin. Considering the massive number of civilian casualties and reported human rights violations that have come from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier this year, Zelenskyy said, it’s difficult to justify negotiations with someone who does not “respect sovereignty.”
“It’s becoming hard to tell who or what Putin is,” Zelenskyy said. “We are not ready to talk to Putin. We are not ready to talk in general with a regime like this who takes the approach they have. When you have blood all over your hands, nobody wants to shake your hand.”
Graham and Blumenthal both backed Zelenskyy by saying that negotiations must be led by Ukraine only when Ukraine is ready to negotiate with Russia.
“There is bipartisan support for no negotiations without the Ukrainian people and only with Ukraine deciding when, whether and where there can be negotiations,” Blumenthal said. “We are going to redouble our support for you not to pull back because freedom is not a thing or physical structure that Putin can snuff out.”
Blumenthal’s message came a little less than 12 hours after Putin, speaking at an annual foreign policy symposium on Thursday, called on the U.S. to recognize a multi-polar world and bring their proxy, Ukraine, to the negotiating table.
Blumenthal and Graham both also asked Zelenskyy what he hoped the U.S. would include in the next arms package for Ukraine.
Blumenthal pitched air defense systems with Zelenskyy commenting that if the U.S. gave Ukraine the Patriot defense system “he would come to the U.S. himself to pick them up.”
“I suggest that we take some of the weapons we’re sending to Saudi Arabia and send them to you because not only are you defending your nation but also NATO, and our national security,” Blumenthal said.
Graham praised Blumenthal during the event saying there was no one who was working harder to support the country in the Senate.
When asked by Tausche and Sonnenfeld about Republicans including House Minority Leader Keven McCarthy saying the “blank check” for Ukraine was over, Graham told Zelenskyy and the audience that the majority of Republicans are committed to supporting Ukraine.
“If we don’t get Ukraine right, there goes Taiwan,” Graham said. “I’m ready to sit down with any Republican who is concerned about spending to ensure that there is accountability and the money is spent the right way.”
Graham also unveiled a three-part framework for the aid package to Ukraine that he committed to helping pass within the next two months.
The first prong would include air defense systems and Abrams tanks which Graham said would be more effective in repelling Russia. Second, he hopes to include Russia as a state-sponsor of terror which would immediately halt almost all business with Russia. Third, Graham said that it was important for Putin’s war crimes to not be forgotten.
Graham will travel to the Hague soon to explore legal options against Russia and Putin ensuring that Putin is personally held accountable for the ongoing war.
Blumenthal echoed Graham’s plan and also predicted that a package would be passed before year’s end.
The dialogue between Blumenthal and Graham is a rare example of bipartisanship with just two weeks left until the midterm elections. Blumenthal and Graham have teamed up to support Ukraine and provide arms packages to the nation. They have also visited Ukraine over the summer (read more about their summer visit here).
Why Yale?
Sonnenfeld and his team of Yale College and School of Management students have worked for much of the last 8 months following business in Russia.
Friday’s event was the second time since Russia invaded Ukraine eight months ago that Zelenskyy has spoken at a Yale event.
Over the summer, Sonnenfeld invited Zelenskyy to speak at the annual New York CEO summit of Yale’s Center for Executive Leadership Initiative. The summer event was the first time since the beginning of the conflict that Zelenskyy had spoken unscripted to a foreign audience.
Zelenskyy’s summer experience came on the back of Sonnenfeld’s viral “companies in Russia” list. Following the February invasion, Sonnenfeld launched a list of companies who were withdrawing business from Russia that was quickly picked up by the Washington Post and Bloomberg. The list has since grown to include more than 1,200 companies and has turned into a litmus test for corporate responsibility.
Sonnenfeld’s team has also worked to dispel many myths put out by Putin on the conflict including on the effectiveness of sanctions and Russia’s economic health. Zelenskyy thanked Sonnenfeld during the event.
“Zelenskyy came to Yale because of the trust we built up with him through our research and the summer event,” Sonnenfeld told the Independent. “Our team has really embodied Yale’s motto of Light and Truth bringing the truth out and shining light on Putin’s lies and empowering Ukraine.”
“Zelenskyy’s team reached out for this event because they wanted to speak with Yale students and spread the message and information about their country and the conflict. After speaking with the current leaders of the world in the summer, Zelenskyy really wanted to speak to the next generation,” Sonnenfeld added.
"We Can't Wait To Go Back Home & Rebuild"
Ukrainian Yalies at Friday's event.
Even amidst devastating bombings and destruction in their home nation, Yevheniia Podurets, Daria Valska and Tsunik are all looking to the future.
The Independent spoke with the Ukrainian Yale students in attendance after the talk ended. They told this reporter that the event was a strong reminder of the work that needs to be done as well as the responsibility the world has to Ukraine.
“After the first month I was worried that people would lose interest in Ukraine,” Valska told the Independent. “But, seeing a room packed with students fills me with hope about the future.”
Valska added that she hopes people recognize that Ukraine is “more than a war-torn nation.”
“It is our home. There is so much culture and art there, and like President Zelenskyy said, we can’t wait to go back home and rebuild.”