“I’ll Take It On and Get It Done”: The Story of a PromTech Welding Course Graduate

Published: November 9, 2026

At the graduation ceremony, students bring out… a barbecue grill. They joke that it’s their final exam, fitting for a group that has just completed a welding course.

In welding, every joint needs to hold strong. The same is true of a country’s economy. Ukraine has plenty of work to do, but not enough workers to do it. Some Ukrainians have left the country, while others have left their jobs to defend Ukraine.

That’s why Razom supports the Prymprylad Charitable Foundation’s PromTech educational initiative, which offers short-term training programs to prepare skilled workers for today’s manufacturing industries.

Russia’s war against Ukraine has forced many industrial businesses to relocate to the country’s western regions. At the same time, the defense industry is expanding and construction is picking up. All of these sectors need skilled workers.

Ten participants completed 80 hours of welding training at the Ivano-Frankivsk Construction Vocational School. The program covered three main welding techniques: manual metal arc welding (MMA), gas metal arc welding (MIG/MAG), and gas tungsten arc welding (TIG). Students began with safety procedures, materials, and welding technology. Then they moved on to hands-on practice, learning to strike and maintain an arc, create even welds, and make butt and fillet joints in different positions.

At the welding course graduation ceremony, we met Oleh Kovalskyi. He spoke candidly about whether four weeks of training can really provide the skills needed to find work.

When Experience Isn’t Enough

Oleh smiles as he says he has never been afraid of hard work. Over the years, he has worked as a physical education teacher, a civil servant, and the CEO of a football club. There has always been plenty to do at home, too. He has renovated his own apartment, installed drywall, and feels confident handling electrical wiring.

“I once needed to build a brick wall. I had watched other people do it, so I went ahead and built one myself. It wasn’t perfectly straight, but I got it done. That wall is still standing in the village today. It does its job,” he says.

Oleh had also been familiar with welding equipment for years, dating back to his service in the Soviet Army. But knowing how to operate a welding machine and having the skills to work as a welder were two different things.

“I knew what a welding machine was. I knew where to connect everything. But I didn’t understand why the electrode kept sticking or why I couldn’t get a proper weld. I simply couldn’t get the job done,” Oleh recalls.

He found out about PromTech’s courses through social media while searching for job openings. An advertisement caught his attention.

“I was surprised that the courses were free. But when I read about how they were funded, I understood the idea behind them: they were designed for internally displaced people, veterans, and anyone who wanted to learn a new trade. I also understood what a meaningful goal the donors were supporting,” Oleh says.

Training That Meets Real-World Needs

After an interview, Oleh spent four weeks learning the theory and practicing different welding techniques. Things didn’t always go smoothly at first, but the instructors’ support made a difference.

“When you start welding using one method or another and things aren’t working out, the instructors come over and say, ‘All right, all right, keep going.’ Even when things are clearly not all right,” he says with a laugh.

Oleh realized just how valuable the theoretical knowledge he had gained was when he applied for a welding job abroad.

“They don’t ask how much welding experience you have or ask you to show them your work. They ask, ‘What about 111?’ And I know what that means. It refers to manual metal arc welding with a covered electrode. Or they ask about semi-automatic welding. After the course, I know what they’re talking about and where to look for the information I need.”

While still taking the course, Oleh found a new job. It wasn’t a welding position, but his newly acquired skills soon came in handy. Within a month, he had a chance to put them to the test.

“We needed to build a metal stand. I looked at it and said it wasn’t strong enough. The welds were poor and wouldn’t hold. Rather than spend money on replacing it, I went to my instructors and asked if I could use their workshop ahead of time.

It’s great to have a properly equipped space like that. There are angle grinders, versatile welding machines, and, importantly, worktables where you can secure the metal pieces.

And there I was, doing the work — and it was actually turning out well! Maybe 50% of it even looked good. I felt this surge of pride. It meant those four weeks hadn’t been wasted,” he says, smiling.

An Idea for a Business

At the graduation ceremony, the director of the Ivano-Frankivsk Construction Vocational School invites graduates to return to the workshop whenever they need it. Oleh shares his experience of working with the instructors and says he would be happy not only to come back but also to pay for access.

In fact, he encourages the instructors to consider turning the workshop into a social enterprise. He is even willing to help brainstorm ideas and develop a business plan.

“Set an hourly rate for using the workshop — say, 500 hryvnias an hour. I’d be the first to show up and pay those 500 hryvnias, knowing the money would go back into the school. A quality workshop costs money to maintain. If the school has already equipped one with grant funding, and you can also get advice or ask an instructor for help when you run into a difficult situation, that’s ideal,” he says.

Among the things Oleh gained from the course is something no certificate can capture: confidence in himself.

I jokingly ask whether his wife is proud of him. He looks a little embarrassed but smiles and says she is.

“The most important thing is that this is my own personal upgrade. When I need to do something, I’ll take it on and get it done. And if I have doubts or feel unsure, I know who to turn to for help. That’s what matters most,” Oleh says.

Support That Helps Ukraine Stay Strong

Four weeks may not be enough to become an experienced professional, but they can give someone the skills and confidence to take on real work. Oleh’s story shows that Ukrainians are ready to work, and with the right support, they can accomplish a great deal — and inspire others along the way.

What they need is access to the skills employers are looking for. Investing in vocational training strengthens Ukraine’s economy, helps people regain a sense of dignity and purpose, and builds the capacity of communities to recover despite Russia’s ongoing attacks.

Supporting Ukrainians as winter approaches is just as important. Russia continues to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with missiles and drones, leaving people without electricity, heat, and water.

Learn more about Razom’s winter support initiative and join us in helping Ukrainians get through the winter at the link below.

Creators or Victims of History: How Razom Brings Ukraine’s Civil Society Together

Published: October 29, 2026

During a work trip to the United States, people ask me, ‘Don’t you think you have a weak government if civil society has to do so much?’ I say no. Let’s look at it another way. Ukrainian society is so active that it can sometimes step in and perform functions that would normally belong to the government.

Viktoriia Klymchuk-Dluhach, General Manager at Razom for Ukraine, during her opening remarks at the fourth annual Razom Sylnishi (Razom Stronger) conference.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, Ukraine’s civil society has taken on enormous responsibility. Nonprofits and charitable organizations support the government, the military, and civilians. They help people get through crises and rebuild their lives. But who supports the people who help others?

That was the question at the fourth Razom Sylnishi (Razom Stronger) conference, which brought together nearly 200 representatives from more than 80 local nonprofits and charitable organizations supported by Razom through grants. Held in Ivano-Frankivsk, the conference is part of Razom’s long-term program to strengthen Ukraine’s civil society. Its goal is to help organizations grow, build their capacity, find partners, and continue their work even in difficult conditions. Many other organizations in Ukraine had to cancel their planned conferences because of security concerns and financial constraints.

Razom Sylnishi 4.0 took place at Promprylad, a Razom partner. One of the main themes was collaboration: how organizations can join forces, find partners, and work together to address challenges that no single organization can tackle alone.

The conference program was shaped by the needs of organizations receiving grant support from Razom. Topics included fundraising and financial sustainability, team mental health, and micromanagement.

“We want this conference to be a place of inspiration and support, where new connections are made and a new day begins. We hope you feel that this conference was created for you,” said Anna Solovei, Director of Relief and Connect Programs.

The Power of Partnerships

During a workshop for organizations working with young people, participants identified more than 15 potential partnerships in less than ten minutes. They discussed joint training programs for young people and teams, sharing expertise, and ways organizations could support one another.

“We do everything we can to encourage our grantees to connect and develop joint projects,” said Andrii Nimkovych, Razom Sylnishi project manager and conference organizer.

This year, Razom also recognized the winner of the Best Partnership award. The Voznesensk Community Foundation received the award along with a $1,000 institutional grant.

At a panel discussion on partnerships, the foundation’s leader, Viktoriia Baltser, noted that her organization was already carrying out or planning joint projects with nearly every speaker on the panel. Her team had even more partnerships in the works after the conference.

People United by a Common Purpose

Off the record, participants shared that they wished they had had more time to talk with one another. Their conversations covered education in Ukraine, employment, and the integration of veterans into society.

Some stepped outside their usual circles and learned about the challenges other organizations face. Others discovered that their experiences were not so different from those of their peers—and felt relieved to know they were not alone.

“This is my first conference, and I’ve realized one thing: we need to talk to one another. No problem is unimportant, and no problem is too small. Everything can be worked out. I’ve learned a lot today,” said Vladyslav from Volia Veteraniv (Veterans’ Will).

Culture Brings People Together, Too

The conference was about more than working sessions and sharing experience. It was also an opportunity to get to know the city, its culture, and the people creating new spaces for communities to connect.

Participants had the opportunity to visit the Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theater. One of the conference speakers was Yurii Fyliuk, an entrepreneur, civic leader, and founder and CEO of the Promprylad project. Promprylad has transformed an industrial site into a place where different communities, ideas, and initiatives come together.

Like civil society, culture creates space for dialogue. It brings people with different experiences together, helps them better understand one another, and opens up possibilities for collective action.

Finding the Strength to Keep Helping Others

People who support others need support themselves. That is why the conference program included a workshop by Razom z Toboyu (Razom With You) on burnout and mental health.

Some participants admitted that they had not realized how exhausted they were until they ended up in intensive care. For people who are responsible for teams, projects, and helping others every day, their own well-being often comes last.

One participant, whose organization works to restore homes and support families affected by Russian attacks in the Kyiv region, joked that her team had sent her to the conference to “get some sleep.”

Behind the joke was an experience many Ukrainians know well. Russian attacks, overnight air raid alerts, and constant sleep deprivation take a particularly heavy toll on people living in Kyiv and Ukraine’s eastern and southern regions. Ivano-Frankivsk was chosen not only as a place for civil society organizations to meet, but also for safety reasons and to give participants a chance to rest.

“ I wasn’t in a very good place emotionally before the conference, but now I’ll go home feeling so much better!” shared Nadiia Korotaieva from Plast, Ukraine’s national scouting organization in the Odesa region.

Sometimes, continuing to help others starts with taking care of yourself. It also means being among people who understand your challenges, can offer support, and remind you why your work matters.

Creators or Victims of History?

At the end of her opening speech, Viktoriia Klymchuk-Dluhach recalled a quote by Yevhen Konovalets that she had shared during a conversation with Americans:

“We have a choice: to be creators or victims of history.”

“Ukraine’s civil society is choosing to be a creator of history, not a victim of it. Razom supports you as the people shaping Ukraine’s history,” Viktoriia said.

Nonprofits and charitable organizations across Ukraine put this choice into action every day. They support service members and veterans, help civilians, advance education, and find solutions to complex social challenges. They keep going even when they need support themselves.

The Razom Sylnishi conference is one way to provide that support. As part of Razom’s long-term commitment to strengthening Ukraine’s civil society, it creates a space where organizations can find the energy, connections, and inspiration to continue their work and help those who need it.

Razom brings together people who do not wait for history to decide Ukraine’s future for them. They are helping shape it themselves.

“No One Prepares You for Disability”: A Veteran Finds His Way Back to Rock Climbing After Losing Both Legs

Published: October 22, 2026

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Oleksandr Zhovnenko loved the mountains and rock climbing. After a serious injury on the front lines, he lost both legs but did not give up the activity he loved. At an adaptive climbing training camp supported by Razom, Oleksandr tried special prosthetic feet designed to help people with amputations climb rocks for the first time.

Today, he is also the captain of Ukraine’s national para ice hockey team. We spoke with Oleksandr about recovering after an injury, the support of the veteran community, and his plans to climb mountains again.

I started talking to guys who had already gone through the process of getting prosthetics

Oleksandr Zhovnenko, veteran of the Russian–Ukrainian War

From Injury to Para Ice Hockey

“No one prepares you for disability. You don’t think, ‘I’m going to serve in the military, but what if I lose a leg or something else happens? How will I live?’” Oleksandr says.

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, he organized trips around the world and later worked in IT. After the birth of his first child, Oleksandr joined the military and became a drone operator with the Azov Brigade, part of Ukraine’s National Guard.

During his service, a Russian artillery shell hit the dugout where Oleksandr was resting before his next shift.

“After the explosion, the dugout caught fire almost immediately. I got up to run out but fell right away. My right leg was hanging on by bits of skin and clothing. I applied a tourniquet immediately. Everything inside the dugout burned. Two of us suffered shrapnel wounds. Everyone survived,” he recalls.

About a week and a half later, doctors amputated Oleksandr’s other leg in Lviv. While still receiving treatment and using a wheelchair, he began attending para ice hockey training sessions.

Other veterans became an important source of support. They had already received prosthetics, returned to work, and found ways to rebuild their lives after injury.

“I was still in the hospital, going through doctors’ appointments and surgeries. Almost immediately, I started talking to guys who had already gone through the process of getting prosthetics. They had their own lives and jobs. I think that helped me avoid falling into depression. I saw that life could still be okay,” Oleksandr says.

Today, he is the captain of Ukraine’s national para ice hockey team. Along with giving motivational speeches, he keeps the team’s spirits up by dancing. In August, the Ukrainian team defeated Great Britain 4–0. The Ukrainian national team has been around for only one year, while the British team has been around for 10 years.

Moving Forward and Climbing Higher

Before the full-scale invasion, Oleksandr loved hiking in the mountains and later took up rock climbing. After his amputations, he returned to climbing at an adaptive climbing training camp, where he tried special prosthetic feet designed for the climbing.

“I had seen people with prosthetics climbing at a pretty high level. The American coaches brought special feet designed for rock climbing. I could feel how much more comfortable they were than the ones I use for walking. I even thought about whether I could make something similar myself using my old prosthesis,” he says.

For Oleksandr, the camp was a chance to see what he could do with the new equipment. For the other participants, it was an opportunity to try adaptive climbing with guidance from experienced coaches.

Building Skills and Creating Opportunities for Other Veterans

The five-day training camp brought together nine veterans and 12 coaches. Participants trained at an indoor climbing gym in Ivano-Frankivsk before moving on to natural rock formations in Kamianets-Podilskyi.

Razom supported the project in partnership with the Ukrainian NGO Veterans Civilian Petros, the Second Breath Charitable Foundation, and Paradox Sports, a U.S.-based organization from Colorado.

The camp was about more than giving veterans a chance to try adaptive climbing. Another key goal was to train Ukrainian coaches who can use these skills in their future work with people with different disabilities.

The coaches learned how to use specialized climbing prosthetics for people who have had a leg amputated, as well as safety systems for climbers with paralysis. The American partners also provided specialized equipment worth $10,000.

But adaptive climbing takes more than the right equipment. Coaches need to know how to adapt climbing techniques to each person’s needs and make sure every training session is safe. The Paradox Sports coaches shared their experience and practical skills with their Ukrainian colleagues.

With Razom’s support, the project is helping Ukraine develop not only adaptive sports programs but also a community of trained coaches who can make sports more accessible to veterans and other people with disabilities.

Now I don’t pay attention to my prosthetics.

Oleksandr Zhovnenko, veteran of the Russian–Ukrainian War

New Summits Ahead

For Oleksandr, one important sign of recovery is feeling confident in everyday life again.

“Now I don’t pay attention to my prosthetics. And the most important thing is that my loved ones can forget I have them, too. They don’t have to think about it. It feels good to have regained my ability to do things and to know that the people around me don’t have to worry about me,” he says.

Before his injury, Oleksandr dreamed of climbing the Tatras. Now, he is planning that climb again. Special equipment, support from friends, and his experience returning to rock climbing have helped him see that this goal is still within reach.

“The Tatras have terrain and shapes similar to the Alps and even the Himalayas, but they aren’t as high. That means you can practice your climbing techniques there. Now I can see that it’s possible. I already have a circle of friends and people I know who can support me and help me. It feels like there’s still so much ahead,” Oleksandr says.

Oleksandr’s story shows that recovery is about more than medical treatment and prosthetics. It is also about returning to the activities you love, finding a community of people who understand your experience, and being able to plan for the future again.

By supporting initiatives like this, Razom helps veterans discover new opportunities and gives Ukrainian coaches the knowledge and tools they need to work with people with disabilities. What starts with one training camp can open up new possibilities for many people across Ukraine.

Math Is More Than Little Squares on Zoom

Published: October 9, 2026

Every morning, Ukrainian children head to school knowing that an air raid alert could interrupt their lessons at any moment. Russia could launch another missile or drone, and suddenly, solving for “x” is no longer important. What matters is getting to a shelter in time.

Supporting STEM education in Ukraine is one of Razom’s priorities. By supporting educational programs today, we help young people gain the skills they need to develop new technologies and shape the future of Ukraine and the world.

This summer, Razom supported three organizations that ran special summer camps for students with a strong interest in mathematics and programming: Boiko Foundation, the Center for Children’s Science and Creativity “Digit” (Tsyfra), and the AFINA Charitable Foundation.

Razom helped cover the cost of food and accommodation for 259 children out of nearly 400 who attended the camps. Without this support, these students would not have been able to take part. Many were winners of math competitions and Olympiads, while others had shown a strong interest in mathematics and technology.

A Place Where Loving Math Is Normal

“Honestly, before the camp, I was thinking about quitting math. But some of the lectures made me want to keep going,” says Yana Maltashova, a 10th-grade student at a specialized math and physics high school. She was also a finalist in Ukraine’s 2026 National Mathematics Olympiad.

Because of frequent Russian missile and drone attacks, many Ukrainian students have to study online. Their whole school life—classrooms, hallways, teachers, classmates, breaks, and snacks from the school cafeteria—has been reduced to a screen.

Summer math camps bring students back into real classrooms, where they can work at a board and learn directly from teachers. They offer something just as important: a place where it is normal to love math. A place where students can be just as excited about playing volleyball as they are about talking about black holes.

“Spending time with other students who share their interests often helps children stay motivated, take part in Olympiads, and consider STEM careers in the future,” says Viktoriia Tsan of the Mathematical Olympus Charitable Foundation.

Some students have had to leave Ukraine because of the war and move to Germany, Romania, Moldova, Hungary, or Malta.

“I really like the people here. They’re unique, and it’s hard to find people like them anywhere else. I live in Germany, and there’s no one like them there,” says Yeva Kozynets, a ninth-grade student who moved from Sumy to Germany because of the constant shelling in her hometown.

From a Love of Math to a Future Career

These summer camps are part of longer educational programs that help students deepen their knowledge of mathematics and related subjects. For many children, a camp is more than a summer experience. It is one step on a longer journey—from discovering a passion to choosing a career.

Razom has supported Boiko’s independent school and the SmartSchool network of after-school learning centers for more than three years. In the 2025–2026 school year, 18 graduates of Boiko’s school scored an average of 189.7 out of 200 on Ukraine’s National Multidisciplinary Test (NMT) in mathematics. The national average for mathematics on the 2026 test was 131.9.

Graduates of the educational programs Razom supports go on to study at the University of Cambridge, École Polytechnique in Paris, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, and other universities. Some have already become teachers in Ukrainian schools.

STEM education helps Ukrainian children keep learning and exploring science and technology, even as the war disrupts their lives and forces families to move. Today, these programs give children a chance to return to the classroom, meet others who share their interests, and keep learning. In the future, these same children could become the scientists, engineers, and technology experts who help Ukraine rebuild and grow.

Behind every high test score, place at Cambridge, or first teaching job are years of learning, caring teachers, and a place where a child can grow. The war has made it harder for Ukrainian students to access these opportunities. By supporting STEM programs today, we can help children continue learning, discover what they are capable of, and prepare for careers that will help shape Ukraine’s future.

To See It for Yourself: How a Razom Internship Led a Young American Journalist to Make Kyiv His Home

Published: September 22, 2026

A year ago, Aidan Stretch arrived in Ukraine as a participant in ImpactUA, a program run by Brave Generation with support from Razom for Ukraine. He planned to spend a few weeks in Lviv assisting a local NGO. Today, he lives in Kyiv and works as an international correspondent for CBS, reporting on a country he once knew primarily from university lectures.

From the window of his apartment in Podil, the domes of Kyiv’s cathedrals rise above the Dnipro River. It’s one of three things Aidan loves most about Ukraine. The other two are borsch and the palpable sense of patriotism everywhere you go.

He has been living in Kyiv for about a year — long enough to get used to nighttime air raid sirens, learn to track missile alerts closely, and explain to his family in the United States why he stays in a country where his workday often starts just as most people are heading for cover.

Aidan’s journey in Ukraine didn’t begin with CBS news cameras or reporting from front-line regions. It started with academic curiosity, a connection made in historian Timothy Snyder’s class, and a decision that originally felt temporary.

"To Understand a Country, You Have to Go"

At university, Aidan studied Eastern European and Ukrainian history. His professors and Ukrainian friends kept driving home a simple point: books can give you knowledge, but they can’t replace being there.

To truly understand a country, you have to go, meet the people, and see how they live.

By that time, Aidan already had experience in international journalism. However, his decision to go to Ukraine was motivated by more than professional curiosity; he acknowledges that there was a sense of idealism involved.

Aidan felt that Ukrainians were fighting for values that many Americans often take for granted: freedom, democracy, and the ability to shape their own nation’s future. He wanted to witness this struggle firsthand.

In Timothy Snyder’s class, he met Tanya, the head of Brave Generation, an organization that partners with Razom to run ImpactUA. This initiative connects American students and young professionals with internships in Ukraine.

Aidan shared his plans to move to Ukraine and pursue a career in reporting. Although spots for that internship cohort had already been filled, they managed to find him a position with a Lviv-based initiative called Cities for Cities.

Just like that, what began as a three-week internship turned into the first chapter of a much longer story.

Many Ways to Serve

Cities for Cities helps Ukrainian municipalities build partnerships with communities across Europe and the United States. Initially, Aidan worried that this work would be a far cry from journalism.

However, during his first few days, the team encouraged him to shape his own contribution: Who did he want to meet? What story did he want to tell? What did he need to report it?

The organization opened doors for him, introduced him to local leaders, and helped him pursue stories. Aidan traveled to small towns in western Ukraine, interviewed municipal officials, and published some of his earliest pieces on the ground.

One story in particular changed his perspective on international aid. U.S. municipal officials were holding regular calls with representatives from Kherson to learn how the Ukrainian city managed emergency responses amid a full-scale war.

Aidan had initially assumed that the learning curve would go the other way — that Ukrainians would be learning from Americans. Instead, American cities were looking to draw from Kherson’s hard-earned experience. During his internship, he first glimpsed the broader meaning of public service.

Before coming to Ukraine, Aidan believed that service in wartime meant military duty or direct aid to the armed forces. However, in Lviv, he encountered people who weren’t serving on the front lines but woke up every morning with a profound sense of duty.

They were connecting communities, building international partnerships, mobilizing expertise, and strengthening the capacity of Ukrainian cities.

This experience expanded his understanding of patriotism. He realized serving your country doesn’t always look heroic. Often, it involves emails, video calls, drafting documents, and showing up every day for work, whose impact becomes visible only over time.

The Road East

Initially, Aidan reassured his parents that he would remain in Lviv, a city he believed was safer than Kyiv or the eastern regions. However, after a few encounters, it became clear to him that he couldn’t stay confined to the west.

In Lviv, Aidan met soldiers, veterans, and displaced individuals from front-line areas. Among them was a veteran who had lost a leg in combat near Sumy and was undergoing rehabilitation. Conversations like these convinced Aidan that to report on Ukraine responsibly, he needed to understand the full reality of the situation.

He then moved to Kyiv and began traveling to cities such as Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih, and others across the south and east. There, he encountered people whose stories he believed international audiences needed to hear.

Aidan started as a freelancer, submitting reports to CNN, France 24, and CBS. By January, he had joined CBS full-time as an international correspondent.

Not a Message, But a Reality

Aiden believes that a journalist should not arrive in Ukraine with a pre-packaged narrative. His role, as he sees it, is to provide the most accurate view of reality possible for those far away who cannot witness it for themselves.

This means resisting the temptation to search for stories that fit a neat thesis and instead choosing to remain curious. He strives to listen, verify, and observe how war reshapes cities, families, politics, and even casual conversations over coffee.

One such conversation significantly reshaped his understanding of Ukrainian democracy.

Aiden was sitting in a coffee shop with a fellow journalist and her husband, a Ukrainian veteran, when news broke about another peace proposal that might involve territorial concessions. Aiden asked whether the President of Ukraine would ever agree to such a proposal.

They looked at him in surprise. For them, the choice was never solely up to a single leader. Society, the military, and ordinary citizens held their own convictions — something the political leadership simply could not ignore.

For Aiden, this was a profound lesson in wartime democracy.

From a distance, Ukraine is often viewed through the lens of its president, diplomatic summits, or military maps. However, on the ground, he discovered a different reality: a society that sees the state as its own and refuses to relinquish full responsibility for its future to politicians.

Aidan Stretch interviews Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv for an exclusive CBS News segment, 2026.

Youth That Doesn't Wait to Take Responsibility

Aidan recently attended the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk, where he had the opportunity to interview Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski about the Russian threat, support for Ukraine, and the lessons that European nations are learning from the Ukrainian experience.

However, one of the most memorable moments of the trip occurred outside the conference hall.

Aidan took a 26-hour train ride from Kyiv to Gdańsk alongside a group of young Ukrainian delegates. This journey provided ample time for them to get to know each other and to discuss their work. Aidan observed that in the United States, conversations among twenty-somethings rarely start with discussions about serving their country. In contrast, for the Ukrainian delegates, this was second nature.

They spoke about their projects, civic initiatives, advocacy efforts, and the work that still needed to be done. To Aidan, these young people represented a generation that is not waiting for responsibility to come with age or a formal title.

A Land of Deep Conversations

Aidan’s life in Kyiv involves more than just reports and field assignments. Most of his friends are Ukrainians working in journalism, government, anti-corruption organizations, or the military. He observes that virtually all of them are dedicated to working for the public good in one way or another.

Aidan is still learning Ukrainian. Although his friends mostly speak English, he has quickly picked up on the cultural nuances of the language and society.

As an American, Aidan was accustomed to smiling at strangers on the street and engaging in light small talk. However, in Kyiv, this can raise a few eyebrows. He humorously notes that Ukrainians aren’t particularly fond of small talk. Instead, they are prepared for deeper conversations and a level of candor that might take years to reach in other cultures.

In just a year in Ukraine, Aidan has developed friendships as close as those he cultivated over many years back home.

This is one of the experiences he shares with American friends when they ask about life in Ukraine. He describes Kyiv as a beautiful European capital, highlighting areas like Podil, the Dnipro River, and its stunning cathedrals. He also emphasizes that while Ukrainians may seem reserved at first, they take human connections remarkably seriously.

History Repeating Itself

Aidan’s mother had a personal connection to Ukraine long before he was born. In 2012, as a law professor, she participated in a legal exchange program, teaching university students in Kyiv and Kharkiv. Many relationships she formed during that time have lasted for decades.

So, her son’s decision to stay in Ukraine wasn’t entirely surprising to her. She understood his fascination with the country, even as she worried every time the news reported on ballistic missiles targeting Kyiv or the cities where he was working.

Aidan admits that he misses his family. However, he considers himself fortunate to have a mother who supports his work, even in a place that is difficult to call safe.

In a way, his journey mirrors hers: it began with a professional program and evolved into deep personal connections, ultimately forming a bond with a country that goes far beyond a temporary visit.

"Don't Think. Just Do It."

When asked what advice he would give American students considering ImpactUA, Aidan’s response comes quickly: “Don’t think. Just do it.”

Behind that straightforward advice lies the experience of a tumultuous year. An internship at a small NGO led him to international reporting. A few weeks in Lviv transitioned into a new life in Kyiv. What started as an academic interest in Ukraine turned into daily work alongside people living through history — experiencing it not as a topic in a syllabus, but as part of their everyday reality.

Aidan came to Ukraine to understand it better. He stayed to help the rest of the world see it for what it truly is.