After the 100-day EuroMaidan Revolution forced Kremlin-backed President Viktor Yanukovych into Russian exile in 2014, Ukraine demanded a new kind of leadership.
The revolution played its role in history and brought about significant change in government, politics and civil society. However, now the time has come for Ukraine to step again on the path of steady evolutionary growth and development.
This requires yet a new kind of leadership with clear visions on how to strengthen the economy, protect the rule of law and encourage innovations and technology.
The 2019 elections – both presidential and parliamentary – provide a make-or-break opportunity for Ukraine to become the success story right in the center of Europe. Indisputably, the challenge is a big one.
On the bright side, lately, there have been numerous signs indicating that a new political elite is forming fast. A good example is #LetsDoItTogether grassroots political movement with the aim to unite democratic forces for presidential and parliamentary races.
The story of a new political elite consisting of NGO leaders and Western-educated professionals holding degrees from leading European and American universities begins right after the EuroMaidan Revolution, also known as the Revolution of Dignity, when they offered their services to the post-Maidan government. More than 50 young technocrats became civil servants or joined political forces to become the driving force behind much-needed reforms. Some of them entered civil society sector and developed large-scale projects, providing solutions to some of the most acute social problems, which include that of more than 1 million internally displaced persons, care for returning veterans, support for temporarily displaced universities, which had to be moved from the war zone.
For instance, Lesia Vasylenko, founder of the Legal Hundred NGO, built a legal support network for veterans of the war on Russian aggression.
Maria Barabash holds worldwide events promoting investment in Ukraine.
In 2019, the challenge for these new leaders is to combine their shared experience and unite as a proactive independent participant of political processes. Moreover, it is vitally important to support one united democratic candidate for president.
Core skills for new leadership
Four years of intensive work during a time of turbulence was more than enough to get the necessary skills. In November 2018, with Vladyslava Magaletska, an ex-deputy minister and current vice president of Sigma Blazer Foundation; Svitlana Kovalchuk, the executive director of the annual Yalta European Strategy conference; representatives from the National Anti-Corruption Agency; the Security Service of Ukraine, I had the honor to experience the Harvard Kennedy School Emerging Leaders course.
While there is much to share, I would like to outline the three most important skills the new generation of leaders should consider acquiring to succeed in Ukrainian politics.
Adaptive leadership skills
The world we live in changes with unprecedented speed. In such circumstances, state policies and politics must have a degree of flexibility. In order to provide quick responses and solutions to new waves of unseen before challenges, politicians need to adapt quickly and be ready for change at any time, all the while not forgetting about the agenda of their nation’s interests.
Ukraine is no exception in this regard. Having come a long way since 2014, the country has evolved from a post-Soviet transition to a market economy. This process requires unique recipes from people new to politics but committed to strongly integrating Ukraine in the global world order.
In the near future, further quick transformations will be needed to adapt the country to a digitalized world and make sure it joins the alliance on countering various cyber threats. To enjoy the opportunities brought about by the global cyberspace, Ukrainian economy needs to switch its primary base to innovations and informational technology. This requires political will to introduce policy shifting reforms, which will bring social, economic and cultural change welcome by some, and mistrusted by others.
Effective decision-making
Any kind of internal transformations require adequate and, what is more important, timely response. In today’s world, well-timed and effective decision-making depends on many factors and is required in different areas, including IT and cybersecurity.
The next line of Ukrainian leaders must bear this in mind. These decisions are made personally, but impact society as a whole. They also require short-term sacrifice for long-term gains. Security is key for preserving national statehood and avoid international isolation. Clear cut policies on informational, energy, and cyber defense and security need to be adopted and be under constant review. In this respect, the Draft Law on Energy Security of Ukraine is a key piece of legislation, which must be adopted.
Negotiations, anti-crisis communication and parliamentary diplomacy
Since 2014 Russian aggression has drawn significant attention to Ukraine. National leadership has used inter-parliamentary connections, diplomatic channels and international fora to ensure support in the struggle for Ukraine to remain the stronghold for democracy. However, as the country enters the sixth year of war it becomes significantly difficult to stay on the radar of international interests.
In this regard, it is important to have an objective understanding of failures and successes, as well as how these are perceived outside of Ukraine. In my personal experience, I have witnessed that international partners often have a perception of Ukraine, which is much different from reality.
Leadership should be responsible and decisions should be moral
‘The current global dynamic demands not only adaptive leadership but moral and responsible leadership.”
Magaletskya summarizes the core essence of the Harvard course. In my opinion, for Ukraine, this means leaders able to give the economy a new impulse for innovative solutions, green economy, security, diplomacy to level up Ukraine. I am confident that a critical mass of the new kind of leaders shall ensure a sustainable reform process and build up the country’s resilience against populist promises of the old political establishment. But they can succeed only united.
