As the new Republican majority in the House of Representatives gets underway for the 118th Congress, a narrative has taken hold that there is a growing partisan divide when it comes to supporting Ukraine. According to this misguided idea, Republicans across the board are raising new roadblocks and have turned against Ukraine, while Democrats want to see Ukraine prevail against the genocidal war currently being waged by Russia.
This narrative is demonstrably incorrect and diminishes a genuine area of bipartisan cooperation in Washington.
While some members of both parties have cast doubt on US policy towards Ukraine, they remain in the small minorities on both sides of the aisle. Certain Members of Congress from each major party have been vocal about their objections to further US support for Ukraine, but they have been far more effective in attracting headlines than the support of their fellow lawmakers.
Over the course of the 117th Congress, our tracking index of 23 key Russia- and Ukraine-related votes in the House of Representatives reveals an overwhelmingly pro-Ukraine voting record for both parties. From legislation to sanction Russia economic actors, to support the victims of Putin’s aggression, and to send aid to Ukraine, the record paints a clear picture. The Republican caucus consistently voted in favor of Ukraine, vastly outvoting the less than 10 percent of House Republicans who regularly voted against these measures.
The bipartisan record of support for Ukraine is even stronger in the Senate. Take, for example, the recent inclusion of $45 billion dollars for Ukraine in December’s Omnibus spending package. The final level of support was $7 billion or 15 percent above what was requested by the Biden Administration. Those additional funds were championed by leaders of both parties and would not have happened if it were not for the specific work of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senator James Risch — both Republicans.
Leaders of the Republican party talk the talk as well as walking the walk. In his speech at the Munich Security Conference on February 17, Leader McConnell underscored his party’s commitment: “My party’s leaders overwhelmingly support a strong, involved America and a robust trans-Atlantic alliance. Don’t look at Twitter, look at people in power… We are committed to helping Ukraine.” And in his appearance on Fox News on February 16th, he made the case directly to the American people: “I’m going to try to help explain to the American people that defeating the Russians in Ukraine is the single most important event going on in the world right now.”
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) addresses reporters after the weekly policy luncheon on Tuesday, February 14, 2023. Greg Nash, The Hill
Indeed, just in the week of February 13th, two major pro-Ukraine bills have been reintroduced with strong bipartisan support, the Holding Accountable Russian Mercenaries (HARM) Act and the Ukraine Genocide Resolution. These bills are important ways for Congress to aid Ukraine in its fight, by enacting more punitive designations for Russian armed groups and calling out the actions of the aggressors as the genocide they are.
Without a doubt, there is much work to be done in the weeks and months ahead to maintain and expand the bipartisan support for Ukraine in the 118th Congress — especially as new fights on raising the debt ceiling loom large. Yet careful observers should be wary of easy or simplistic narratives that view everything in Washington through a purely partisan lens.
Members on both sides of the aisle — Republican and Democrat — are deeply and demonstrably committed to Ukraine’s victory. While members may differ on specific tactics or details of policy, the genuine support for Ukraine is palpable.
Lone or fringe voices can be loud, but not necessarily convincing. American leaders of both political parties are undertaking great efforts to see that Ukraine is ultimately victorious. And when victory does come, Ukraine will rightly be able to thank Republicans, Democrats, and Independants for the support America provided.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has had a profound impact on the lives of countless individuals and communities. The Razom Advocacy team recaps the past year of the full-scale invasion in Ukraine and provides a comprehensive overview of the events and developments that have taken place over the past year, including the impact of the conflict on human lives, infrastructure, and the broader geopolitical landscape.
Food security is a vital aspect of national security, and in recent years, Ukraine, with its fertile black soil, has become a significant player in the global agricultural market and established itself as the breadbasket of Europe. However, Russia’s invasion plagued Ukraine with war, and the ongoing conflict has disrupted the country’s agricultural industry and affected its ability to export its produce. In what follows, we aim to explore the relationship between food security and war in Ukraine and to understand the impact of the ongoing conflict on the country’s ability to feed its people and contribute to global food security.
Team members from near and far convened in New York for a two-day, action-packed program involving meeting other Razom teams and the Razom community at large to learn more about one another and do more great work together.
Friday was all about strategy and meeting with partners, including Renew Democracy Initiative and Razom friends at the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations, Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya and Ms. Yaroslava Sochka.
Razom Advocacy Team at Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations in New York
On Saturday, the Razom Advocacy Team presented its work to the Razom community and received updates on the ongoing developments of Razom as an organization. This event took place at the Shevchenko Scientific Society’s NYC headquarters. The Shevchenko Scientific Society is a Ukrainian-American scholarly institution incorporated in 1948 in New York that tracks its lineage to the Shevchenko Scientific Society established in 1873 in Lviv. Razom thanks the Shevchenko Scientific Society for hosting us.
The team then went a few blocks south in the Ukrainian Village to visit the Ukrainian Response Initiative’s new office space. Ukrainian Response Initiative was launched by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and assists newly arrived Ukrainian New Yorkers with legal services, translation services, social services, and other resources. During the visit, the Razom Advocacy Team met displaced Ukrainians and listened to their stories.
Finally, Tania Khodakivska, award-winning film editor and director residing in NYC, gave the team a guided tour of a new exhibit titled “Hi-Resolution: Ukrainian Culture and Contemporary Art Now” on view at the CUNY Graduate Center on 5th Avenue in New York. The exhibition was created by Oleksiy Sai, Nikita Kadan, and curator Ksenia Malykh in collaboration with the James Gallery. Admission is free, and the exhibition is open until February 18th. So please stop by and see it for yourself!
HI-RESOLUTION: UKRAINIAN CULTURE AND CONTEMPORARY ART
Thanks to everyone who joined the different sessions and coffee breaks and met with members of the Razom Advocacy Team this weekend.
Despite the horrors of the last year of Russia’s full-scale invasion and war in Ukraine, Americans – both of Ukrainian-American descent and from other backgrounds – have united together to advocate on behalf of our shared values of freedom and self-determination. In 2022, the Razom Advocacy Team was able to organize an advocacy network of more than 1,454 individuals. With all of your tireless support, we were able to achieve some notable successes throughout the year.
Congressional Engagement
In 2022, our Advocacy Team members and our network of Razom Advocates held more than 526 meetings with Congressional offices to ask for critical support for Ukraine such as military aid, the strengthening of sanctions, and economic assistance. Meetings weren’t the only way our advocates reached out to their Members of Congress – they also sent 3,671 messages to Capitol Hill, urging Congress to declare Russia a State Sponsor of Terrorism and to label Russia’s actions in Ukraine a genocide, among other important advocacy messages. By joining our advocacy network, individuals can call, send emails, and engage with their lawmakers on Twitter. Sign-up for the Razom advocacy network here to take an active role in promoting Ukrainian victory.
Engagement with Congressional offices through meetings and sending messages via action alert are crucial for affirming the importance of supporting Ukraine. In order to facilitate these connections, Razom for Ukraine and our 42 partner organizations of the American Coalition for Ukraine hosted our inaugural Ukraine Action Summit in September of 2022. During the Summit, 270 advocates from 33 states met with their federal lawmakers’ offices on Capitol Hill for a total of 176 meetings with Congressional members and staff.
Social Media Engagement
Social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram provide a low-barrier entry point for individuals wishing to get involved in the common goal of Ukrainian victory, making social media a critical tool that the Razom Advocacy Team employs in its advocacy. In 2022, our team launched several social media initiatives to raise awareness about the war in Ukraine that reached more than 150,000 individual accounts.
After the inception of the full-scale invasion, Razom for Ukraine began to organize weekly Twitter Spaces to educate listeners on the most relevant topics around the war. In 2022, we were honored to be joined by more than 40 invited experts speaking on topics that ranged from the recent military victories of the Ukrainian army to Ukrainian Independence Day traditions. You can join our Friday Twitter Spaces by following the Razom for Ukraine Twitter account.
If you’d like to follow current events in Ukraine and keep up with our initiatives, Razom provides daily updates on the most important events of the war on Twitter and Instagram, and our network of more than 100,000 subscribers helps to spread this information, further educating the public on what is important for Ukrainian victory.
Without critical partnerships with like-minded organizations and the support of advocates like you, these accomplishments would not have been possible.
Thank you to all of our advocates and supporters for making all of our advocacy work possible in 2022 – we could not have done this without your passionate phone calls, emails, tweets, and donations. We hope to continue this momentum into 2023 and work together to help achieve Ukrainian victory together.
The continuation of Russia’s war against Ukraine and thus the ongoing need for military aid and foreign funding presents the necessity to revisit the US’s strategic interests in a Ukrainian victory. This report outlines key strategic issues the US would have to grapple with should Russia not be defeated and critical interests in a Ukrainian victory. In what follows, we analyze these issues through the frameworks of regional security, protecting democracy worldwide, global geopolitical threats, access to resources, and access to human capital.
1. Regional Security
US aid to Ukraine is one of the best investments the US can make to diminish Russia’s security threat to both Europe and the US. The military aid provided to Ukraine thus far has allowed Ukraine to inflict major damage on Russia’s ability to fight future wars or threaten Europe.
Since late February, Russia has lost over3000 tanks, 6000 fighting vehicles, and 280 planes and has had upward of 100,000 Russian troop casualties (as of January 7, 2023) – approximately half of Russia’s conventional military capability before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Through supporting Ukraine militarily, the US is able to handle one of its greatest threats without risking US lives.
Ukrainians are fighting to contain Russia’s imperialistic ambitions and prevent Russia from incursions into NATO territory, in which case the US would be obligated to take military action. Political and defense leaders across NATO member states in the region have warned about potential Russian incursions if Russia achieves its goals in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian armed forces will leave the war with a heightened knowledge of the aggressor’s fighting tactics and substantial combat experience. This puts Ukraine in a position to be an asset to NATO, especially with respect to providing strategic and practical training for NATO troops.
Blank Check Myth – Some have likened Ukraine aid to writing a ‘blank check,’ alluding to the assumption that what the US is doing in supporting Ukraine is essentially ‘charity work’. In practice, while Ukrainians are fighting for their existence, a defeated Russia would create significant security dividends for the United States by reducing Russia’s capacity to wage war and make threats. Supporting Ukraine is a significant investment in US and global security.
2. Protection of Global Democracy and Maintaining a Liberal International Order
Supporting Ukraine is an investment into global security and democracy. Ukraine is at war not just with Russia, but with the informal coalition of authoritarian regimes including Belarus, Iran, and North Korea, all of which are involved in aiding the Kremlin’s military efforts. Ukrainians are risking their lives for democracy and freedom in spite of this global authoritarian campaign.
The US should support Ukraine’s fight to protect freedom, international law, and prove to existing and potential aggressors that no one can succeed in violating international borders.
Tolerance of Russian aggression would only encourage future aggression from either Russia (as seen from the recent past – Georgia in 2008, Ukraine in 2014, and Syria in 2015, to name a few) or other potential aggressors (especially China). A robust response would serve as a warning that such behavior will not be tolerated.
Finally, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and Ukraine’s resistance are gradually leading to the reform of the international multilateral system.
While the conversations about the need to reform the United Nations and the Security Council have been ongoing for a while, only with the full-scale war in Ukraine has it become especially evident that the current international order is unable to maintain peace and security in the world.
During the High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly in September 2022, a record number of countries, including Global South countries that had been silent for a long time, came forward with proposals on the reform of the Security Council, including the expansion of the Council’s membership to ensure regional diversity. In the first months of the war, the UN finally adopted the “Veto Initiative,” which is aimed at improving accountability at the Security Council, particularly, the accountability of P5 countries; other conversations on the ways to make the UN fit for its purpose are ongoing and will most likely lead to significant shifts within the organization.
Supporting Ukraine credibly demonstrates the US’s willingness to take action and its ability to confront aggressors.
This is a show of strength that would send a clear message to China (the US’s current no. 1 security concern), which, following the US’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, had already started to doubt the US’s resolve in addressing overseas crises.
A Russian defeat will have the effect of nullifying a potential Putin-Xi alliance, advancing the US’s strategic priority of containing China’s military capabilities.
4. Access to Resources
So far, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to a global food crisis, exposing the weaknesses in the world’s food systems which had already struggled with the impacts of supply chain disruptions.
Prior to the full-scale war, Ukraine provided 45 million tonnes of grain to the market every year. Ukraine is the largest global exporter of sunflower oil, 3rd biggest exporter of barley, 4th largest exporter of corn, and 5th exporter of wheat in the world. A Ukrainian victory will help alleviate the food crisis and potential famine all over the world, especially in Global South countries that feel the impacts of Russia’s invasion on food security the most severely. Only a full Ukrainian victory will lead to stability in food production and exports from the region – the destruction of Ukrainian farmland, farm machinery, and infrastructure are core elements of Russia’s military strategy and Russian occupation of Ukrainian agricultural communities will result in continued instability.
In addition to helping feed food-deficient nations, Ukrainian agricultural produce was also used in essential products in the United States. For instance, the inaccessibility of Ukrainian sunflower seed oil as a result of the war heavily contributed to the national baby formula shortage (sunflower seed oil is a key ingredient in baby formula).
Agricultural products aside, Ukraine has an abundant supply of raw materials, including reserves of coal, natural gas, iron ore, manganese, salt, oil, graphite, sulfur, uranium etc. Ukraine is 7th in the world in iron extraction, accounting for 2.4% of global output (39M tonnes). It’s also 6th place in titanium extraction and 2nd place in the world in gallium extraction. A Ukrainian victory will allow these resources to become available for stable export again.
Additionally, it is significant to note that Ukraine holds extensive reserves of resources defined as Critical Raw Materials (“raw materials that are economically and strategically important for the European economy, but have a high-risk associated with their supply”). This includes, but is not limited to, natural graphite, lithium, and beryllium. In 2021, Ukraine signed a special Memorandum with the EU about a strategic partnership regarding CRM.
The abundance of raw materials is evidence of Ukraine’s indispensability to the European economy. In the case of a Russian victory, there is a risk of the reserves falling into Russian hands and being cut off from the European market.
5. Access to Human Capital
Ukraine is an IT powerhouse. It exports $6.8 billion of services a year with more than 285,000 employed in the IT industry serving clients all over the world. Prior to the war, Ukraine’s IT sector was ranked fourth in the world.
The Ukrainian technology sector has also enjoyed substantial growth as is seen by the record $2 billion in growth revenue from export services in just the first quarter of 2022. Ukrainian IT specialists continue to play an important role in the global tech industry, serving as one of the biggest IT outsourcing markets in the world.
Conclusion
A Ukrainian victory is not only beneficial but also necessary for the advancement of global security, especially in relation to shattering Russia’s imperialist agenda and containing China’s expansionist pursuits. The war in Ukraine is a challenge to democracy; thus, it is important to acknowledge that only a Ukrainian victory would legitimize and reinforce democracy and international liberal principles. Finally, Ukraine is rich in resources, including agricultural produce, critical raw materials, energy sources, and human capital. Some of the aforementioned resources are indispensable to the rest of the world and all of which would become more accessible again with a Ukrainian victory. Russian troops leaving Ukrainian territory is a prerequisite to maintaining global order, upholding the principles of democracy internationally, containing security threats from China and other authoritarian states, and allowing Ukraine to export critical resources freely.
The Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, in partnership with Razom for Ukraine, summarizes the $8.5 billion supplied by the United States to Ukraine in direct budget support. From pensions for seniors to salaries for first responders, US budget support has helped to guarantee Ukrainian society’s ability to defend itself and preserve continuity of government services.
In response to the proposal by the Biden Administration to introduce legislation that would designate Russia as an Aggressor State Responsible for a Campaign of Terror Against Civilians in Ukraine (ASRCTACU), the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, the Joint Baltic American National Committee, and Razom issued the following statement:
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Oblast Competitions
In 2018 we’re planning to cover expenses for 30 teams (6 people per team) at Oblast STEM competitions. Total Budget is $4500
Ruslan Batytskyi
Director, writer and cinematographer with three completed award-winning shorts as well as a feature documentary in post-production. After starting his filmmaker career at 2009, Ruslan brings his skills in project management, process analysis and systems models (received during obtaining MA in cybernetics 2003-2008) and applies them to the creative thinking and artistic thought-processes of film. He also holds BA in Film and Television directing (from the Kyiv National University of theatre, cinema and television by Karpenko-Karyi).
“A chance to participate in The Co-Pilot project it’s an amazing opportunity to help others and to tell the story that will engage and inspire people around the world”
2017 Trip Itinerary
We are gearing up for our 2017 Mission trip. It’ll be a 3-month adventure during which we plan to work with neurosurgeons from several centers from all around the country. Dr.Tomycz has also been invited to deliver an address at the annual Ukrainian Neurosurgery Conference 2017 in Kharkiv.
May 20: arrive in Kyiv, Ukraine
May 22-26: meet with area surgeons at participating centers
May 29- June 9: two week master class with Igor Kurilets MD at the International Neurosurgery Center
June 12-13: Visit to Medical Institute of Sumy State University
June 14-16: Ukrainian Neurosurgery Conference 2017 in Kharkiv
June 19-23: one week course and master class operating in complex spine and craniocervical with Ukrainian spinal surgeons and trainees from Romadanov Institute and International Neurosurgery Center
June 24-July 7: Come back to United States for two weeks
July 10-21: two week master class with Dr. Schlegov at the Neurovascular Institute
July 24-August 4: two week master class in pediatric neurosurgery with surgeons at Lviv Children’s Hospital
August 5-18: travel to out-lying centers of excellence (Stryii, Ivano-Frankivsk, Odesa)
August 21-31: operate with surgeons at Central Military Hospital and International Neurosurgery Center in Kyiv
September 15: leave Ukraine for United States
Surgical Mentors and Medical Support Staff
The best way to train surgeons is by providing hands-on mentorship and assistance in the operating room. One of the primary goals of the Co-Pilot Project is the continued recruitment of high quality surgeons from United States and Canada to spend time with Ukrainian counterparts, consulting on patients and performing procedures.
Surgical Mentors traveling to Ukraine
Jefferson Miley, MD – neurointerventionalist
Jonathan Forbes, MD – skull base neurosurgeon
Matthew Geck, MD – orthopedic spine surgeon
Not all of the healthcare volunteers will be able to travel to Ukraine but they still will play an important role from home. Utilizing contemporary technology, including live streaming of surgeries and communication via social media the medical support staff will advice and mentor Ukrainian neurosurgeons as they confront difficult cases.
Medical Support Staff
Bido Patel, MD – neuroradiologist
Chandra Krishnan, MD – neuropathologist
Ginger Harrod, MD – neuro-oncologist
Advisory Staff
Tim George, MD – pediatric neurosurgeon
Jim Rose, MD – vascular neurosurgeon
Ryan Murdoch, MD – orthopedic spine surgeon
Patrick Combs, MD – craniofacial surgeon
Nestor Tomycz, MD – functional neurosurgeon
Aaron Stayman, MD – vascular neurologist
Jim Rutka – pediatric neurosurgeon
Ben Warf – pediatric neurosurgeon
Participating Centers in Ukraine Page
Since our exploratory trip in 2016 we have identified a cohort of motivated and talented surgeons who are hungry for additional instruction and eager for collaboration.
Igor Kurilets, MD (International Neurosurgery Center)
Ivan Protsenko, MD (Romadanov Institute)
Kostiantyn Kostiuk, MD (Romadanov Institute)
Vitali Ganjuk, MD (Central Military Hospital, Kyiv)
Taras Mykytyn, MD (Lviv Children’s Hospital)
Dmytro Shcheglov, MD (Neurovascular Institute)
Luke Tomycz, MD
Dr. Luke Tomycz is the newest addition to the pediatric neurosurgical team at Dell Children’s Medical Center. Dr. Tomycz finished first in his high school class of over 200 students and attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA where he double-majored in biology and chemical engineering. He accepted the prestigious Dean’s Full-Tuition Scholarship to attend medical school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where he first developed an interest in neurosurgery. After medical school, he began his formal neurosurgical training at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN where he trained under the late Noel Tulipan, MD, a pioneer in fetal neurosurgery for myelomeningocele. During his seven-year residency, he spent two years obtaining an in-folded fellowship in endovascular surgery, becoming proficient in the treatment of aneurysms, AVMs, Moya-Moya syndrome, and complex dural AV fistulae of adults and children. After this, Dr. Tomycz spent an additional year at Seattle Children’s Hospital performing a large volume of complex epilepsy surgery with Jeff Ojemann, MD. Following an exhaustive job search, Dr.Tomycz was attracted to Austin as the city was in the process of launching a new medical school at the University of Texas.
Dr. Tomycz specializes in all aspects of pediatric neurosurgery including brain tumors, epilepsy, Chiari malformation, tethered cord syndrome, CSF shunting, and intracranial endoscopy. As one of the only dual-trained, pediatric and endovascular neurosurgeons in the country, he is particularly interested in Moya-Moya, brain aneurysms and AVMs, arteriovenous fistulae, and other complex neurovascular disorders in children as well as adults. His research interests include the use of engineering innovations to improve treatments for hydrocephalus and he has published on a wide variety of neurosurgical topics. Outside the operating room, Dr. Tomycz enjoys playing guitar and hiking in the mountains. He has travelled extensively to perform neurosurgery and take part in short-term medical mission work – in Cuba, Kenya, Honduras, Ecuador, and Ukraine.
Dr. Tomycz grew up with four grandparents who told stories of their youth and taught their grandchildren the language of their homeland – Ukraine. His parents were both born in refugee camps following the second world war, and came to this country in the early 1950s with virtually nothing. His father excelled in academics and went into medicine, and both Luke and his brother Nestor followed suit, pursuing a career in neurosurgery. During a long period of study and training that lasted more than 15 years, Luke resolved to return to the homeland of his grandparents and provide the kind of high quality care that children receive in the United States.
Mariya Soroka
In 2014 at the peak of protests in the Maidan, Mariya joined several fellow Ukrainians living in New York City to create Razom, a young, energetic, and progressive start-up which seeks to amplify the voice of Ukraine to an American audience. An active member of the board, she is responsible for organizing cultural events as well as cooperating with government representatives, activists, and various civic groups and human rights organizations in support of Ukraine’s quest for democracy.
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Mariya is also heavily involved with fundraising for Razom’s projects via crowdsourcing, charity events, and online petitions. After graduating from Penn State University with a BA in Advertising and Public Relations and a dual minor in Entrepreneurship and International Studies, Mariya spent over 5 years in Manhattan working within the content marketing industry. She believes in the enormous potential of dedicated volunteers around the world working to rebuild Ukraine one project at a time.
Mariana Magala
Mariana Magala was born in Lviv, Ukraine. She graduated from The University of Chicago in 2013 and holds a B.A. in Economics and Slavic Languages and Literature. Currently, Mariana is a Strategic Analytics Manager at Interline Brands (subsidiary of The Home Depot) in Jacksonville, Florida. She specializes in analytics, business strategy, and nonprofit development. Mariana was the co-chair of a pro-bono consulting group for nonprofits in Chicago for 3 years and is currently the treasurer for a young professionals group at MOSH (Museum of Science and History in Jacksonville).
Mariana joined Razom’s Neurosurgical initiative in 2016. She is very excited to collaborate with the team and develop the initiative into a highly successful program.
