Iuliia Mendel: President Zelenskyy, Ukraine's Battle for Democracy, and What It Means for the Rest of the World

When Iuliia Mendel got the call telling her she had been hired to work for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, she had no idea what was to come. Mendel had a front row seat to many of the key events and meetings between President Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin, and other European leaders preceding the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. She saw firsthand President Zelenskyy’s efforts to transform Ukraine into a vibrant and prosperous European democracy. As the war in Ukraine continues, Mendel shares what’s at stake not only for her homeland but the rest of the world. NOTES This is an online-only program; pre-register to receive a link to the live-stream event. Copies of The Fight of Our Lives are available for purchase at checkout (U.S. domestic shipping only). This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation. SPEAKERS Iuliia Mendel Former Press Secretary and Spokesperson for Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (2019-2021); Author, The Fight of Our Lives: My Time with Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s Battle for Democracy, and What It Means for the World; Twitter @IuliiaMendel In Conversation with Steven Pifer Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine; Fellow, Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on September 17th, 2022 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices