Ukraine’s newly elected President Viktor Yushchenko, who came to power after a controversial election at the end of last year, discussed Ukraine’s diplomatic relations with the United States as well as his own family’s personal relationship with Georgetown University during his speech Wednesday to a filled Gaston Hall.
The election, through which then Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich was initially named the new President, was considered corrupt by many international observers.
“My wife studied economics here [at Georgetown],” Yushchenko explained in Ukrainian as his words were transmitted to the audience via English translators. “She told me many times about the University, and especially about the discussions she had here about the prospects of her country when it didn’t yet exist on a geographical map.”
His U.S.-born wife, Kateryna Chumachenko (SFS ‘82), was in attendance.
Yushchenko recognized the emphasis Georgetown’s curriculum places on universal human rights, as students learn about freedom of expression.
“The hundreds of other students from my country who have studied here have gained confidence in the science of democracy, which will stay with them until the end of their lives,” he said.
Regarding Ukraine’s relationship with the U.S., Yushchenko expressed hope for the two countries to build a strong partnership. Yushchenko also stressed the need for American businesses to expand and invest in Ukraine in order to boost its economy.
“I am Ukrainian, and I speak as a Ukrainian politician, but I know that Ukrainian policy involves broad collaboration with the United States of America,” he explained.
He expressed the perception that American and Ukrainian ideals are moving toward common ground, referencing President Bush’s State of the Union Address this past February.
The Ukrainian president also highlighted his state’s relationship with the rest of Europe, citing recent polls which indicated that the majority of Europeans support Ukrainian membership in the European Union.
On Feb. 21, Ukraine and the EU signed a three-year reform plan intended to bring Ukraine up to the democratic standards of other European countries. Among the 270 reforms specified, the most important include increased freedom of speech, tax reform and democratic parliamentary elections to be held in 2006. A survey of 6,000 Europeans from six of the largest EU countries showed that over half of the population would support Ukrainian membership in the EU.
“I see Ukraine as being on a very realistic path in the short-term to accession to membership in the EU,” Yushchenko said.
He alluded to Ukraine’s unique position as a border state between Western Europe and the former Soviet Union.
Yushchenko briefly mentioned his widely publicized and as yet unsolved poisoning by dioxin that marred his face last September during Ukraine’s presidential campaign.
“Last November, my nation gave a decent reply against the criminal oligarchic dictatorship that had been imposed on us,” he said. “Freedom has cost us, including me, dearly.”
University President John J. DeGioia presented Yushchenko with the President’s medal after the speech.
Ukrainian students Mykola Stetsenko (Law ‘04) and Tetyana Gaponenko (SFS ‘07), who were in Ukraine at the time of the election, opened the ceremony by reflecting on their experiences.
“I remember the day the election was stolen, and my friends and I descended in Kiev into the squares,” Stetsenko said, who credited Yushchenko and his motto for the Orange Revolution, “I believe, I know, we can,” for inspiring Ukrainians.
“The hero of the Ukrainian revolution was Viktor Yushchenko,” Stetsenko commented, praising the new regime.
