RAZOM ADVOCACY

 

Razom Advocacy is a branch of Razom for Ukraine committed to advancing policy for Ukrainian victory, and to nurturing community engagement across the United States and Ukraine. We work together with experts, policy-makers, and constituents to help build a more democratic and prosperous Ukraine.

If you have questions, ideas, interest in collaborations, or are a member of the press seeking information, contact us at advocacystaff@razomforukraine.org. Keep up with the latest from Razom Advocacy on Twitter.

WHAT WE DO

Government Affairs

 

We work within Congress, the executive branch and other halls of power to advance policy to strengthen Ukraine, ensure its victory, and bring pro-Ukrainian voices to the forefront of the policy discussion.

Public Engagement

 

We connect with and activate constituents and diverse grassroots organizations supporting Ukraine across America. We connect with the world through social media and the press to mobilize support for pro-Ukraine policy, and promote the work of experts, supporters, and changemakers.

Our Target Legislation and Messaging Guide

View our weekly series of key messages/talking points and list of target legislation to help align nationwide advocacy efforts.

Join our Advocacy Network

We’re over 2,000 constituents from all 50 states strong – contact your Representative to tell them what Ukraine needs to win!


What we are asking for

Let Ukraine Strike Back

The White House must allow Ukraine to strike all legitimate military targets in Russia with any weapons provided by the U.S., such as ATACMS missiles. This is key to breaking Russia’s war machine and defending Ukraine against Russia’s aerial bombing campaign.

Accelerate Military Assistance

Billions of dollars in military assistance appropriated by Congress will soon expire. The White House must provide all available aid to ensure Ukraine’s defenders have what they need to hold back Russia’s invasion force and liberate those suffering under occupation.

Return Ukraine’s Stolen Children

Russia has engaged in a systematic campaign of forced deportation of Ukrainian children, abducting them from their families and bringing them into Russia. International partners must help Ukraine free the more than 19,000 children abducted by Russia.

Transfer Russian State Assets

There are over $300 billion in Russian state assets currently sitting frozen in the United States and Europe. Congress passed the REPO Act in 2024 directing the White House to transfer these assets to help Ukraine defend itself and rebuild from Russia’s invasion. It’s time to finish the job and #MakePutinPay.

Ukraine in NATO

The best way to ensure that Russia’s war of aggression is defeated is by finally allowing Ukraine to join the NATO Alliance. Ukraine has the most experienced military in Europe and would immediately make NATO stronger and Europe safer by joining the Alliance.

Let Ukraine Win

The policy of the United States should unambiguously be to help Ukraine win, not simply to support Ukraine for “as long as it takes.” A decision to achieve victory leads to clear policy priorities to achieve that goal—without defining a goal of victory, support for Ukraine will remain uneven.

 

The Ukraine Action Summit


As a founding member of the American Coalition for Ukraine, Razom Advocacy helps organize the Ukraine Action Summit in Washington DC.

 

This three day event, consisting of Congressional meetings and informative advocacy programming, brings together hundreds of advocates from across the United States to speak to their elected officials about the importance of Ukrainian Victory.

 

Our previous Ukraine Action Summits have taken place September 2022, April 2023, and October 2023. Visit the American Coalition for Ukraine’s website and follow the Coalition on Facebook and Instagram to find information about upcoming Summits!

 

Our staff

 

Mykola Murskyj is Director of Razom’s Advocacy Team. Before coming to Razom, Mykola was an International Affairs Specialist at the Department of Justice Criminal Division and a program analyst at the U.S. Secret Service. Previously, Mykola was a Managing Editor of the Harvard Kennedy School Review and a U.S. Presidential Management Fellow. He was also a lecturer at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine, in the Program on Ethics, Politics, and Economics. He holds degrees in physics from MIT and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, and in international affairs from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Mykola also serves as Archivist for the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus.


Scott Cullinane is the Director of Government affairs on Razom’s Advocacy Team. Prior to this, he served in various positions with the House Foreign Affairs Committee, including as Professional Staff Member for the Europe Subcommittee, where he was responsible for a jurisdiction including the European Union, Russia, Ukraine, and Central Asia. Scott is currently a Fellow at the National Security Institute, part of George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. Scott was the recipient of the 2021 Helmut Schmidt Fellowship hosted by the German Marshall Fund in Berlin, Germany.


Doug Klain is a Policy Analyst on Razom’s Advocacy Team. Before joining Razom, he worked as Assistant Director at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, where he currently remains a Nonresident Fellow. He holds an MA in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science. 


Melinda Haring is the Senior Advisor on Razom’s Advocacy Team, and a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. Previously, she was the deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center and editor of the Atlantic Council’s popular publication, the UkraineAlert blog. She is the author of the report Reforming the democracy bureaucracy (FPRI, 2013) coauthor of Biden and Ukraine: a strategy for the next administration (Atlantic Council, 2021), Biden and Belarus: a strategy for the next administration (Atlantic Council, 2021), Ukraine’s internally displaced persons hold a key to peace (Atlantic Council, 2017), and a contributor to Does democracy matter? (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017). Haring has worked for Superhumans Center, Eurasia Foundation, Freedom House, and the National Democratic Institute, where she managed democracy assistance programs in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Russia. A graduate of Georgetown University, she holds an MA in Government with a certificate in Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies. Haring is chair of the board of East Europe Foundation in Kyiv, Ukraine, and a member of the supervisory board of Right to Protection in Kyiv, Ukraine. She tweets @melindaharing.


Daniel Balson is the Director of Public Engagement at Razom for Ukraine. Before coming to Razom, he served as Advocacy Director for Europe and Central Asia at Amnesty International USA, where he worked with Congress and the Executive Branch to ensure that human rights across Eurasia are prioritized and protected. Previously, he also worked at Accion International to protect microfinance clients entering the formal financial sector across Eurasia and at the National Democratic Institution supporting civil society and governance development in Central Asia. Daniel has been named among The Hill’s top lobbyists in Washington for three consecutive years. His commentary and analysis has been published in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, BBC, The Hill, Newsweek, Foreign Policy Magazine, and other outlets. Daniel received his Master’s in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and his Bachelor’s from Cornell University. He speaks fluent Russian and Spanish and conversational Arabic and Hebrew.


Yuliya Ziskina is the Legal Advisor on Razom’s Advocacy Team. A public policy and intellectual property lawyer focused on international law, open access information policy, and ethics, she was previously a Fellow at the World Bank Integrity Vice Presidency and the U.S. Department of Justice, where her legal work consisted of investigating and prosecuting international financial crime. She is also former Enforcement Counsel at the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board, where she prosecuted violations of New York City’s anti-corruption laws. Yuliya has authored briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court, DC Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Southern District of New York. Her work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Law, Ars Technica, and Wired. She holds a JD from the University of Washington, where she led a successful campaign for a campus-wide open access to research policy. 


Kira Chernenko is the Program Assistant on Razom’s Advocacy Team. She was born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine. She moved to the U.S. 10 years ago splitting her time living and working between New York and Washington DC. Before joining Razom, Kira had extensive experience in finance working in property management in New York, and a privately owned investment fund in Maryland specializing in banking and loans. Later she joined the office of Maryland state senator Jim Rosapepe (former U.S. Ambassador to Romania) as an operations manager. Kira holds a Bachelor of Marketing Strategy from National University of Food Technology (Kyiv, Ukraine) and a Marketing Certificate from Bernard M. Baruch College of NY.


Julian Hayda is an Associate Director of Public Engagement with Razom for Ukraine where he works on raising awareness of Ukraine policy with faith communities and other affinity groups across America. Before joining Razom, Julian was NPR’s coordinating producer in Ukraine and had the privilege of establishing the network’s Kyiv bureau. Julian’s work of the war in Ukraine—both in front of and behind the microphone—was heard on 1,000 radio stations across America to which nearly 30 million tune in per day. Earlier, Julian worked with several public radio stations and journalism nonprofits as a talk show producer, project manager, and engagement strategist. He’s won multiple accolades, including from the Society of Professional Journalists and Catholic Press Association of America,  for his work covering the 2013-2014 Euromaidan Revolution in Ukraine, President Yanukovych’s participation in the 2012 NATO Summit in Chicago, among others. He’s also worked on extended projects about the psychological effects of the Chornobyl disaster and Romani human rights in Europe. The son of a priest, Julian has long-term plans to serve in ministry, having attended the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic seminary in Kyiv before Russia’s full-scale invasion. He also holds an M.A. in International Studies from DePaul University, where he researched Ukraine’s religious politics, and a B.A. in Journalism and Film production, also from DePaul. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Summer, and newborn daughter, Theophania.

 

Anastasiia Sliusarenko is a passionate advocate for Ukraine, dedicating much of her work to supporting Ukrainian sovereignty and victory in the ongoing war. With a strong focus on global awareness, Anastasiia has organized numerous demonstrations, rallies, and community events to mobilize support for Ukraine and raise awareness about the importance of defending its independence. In addition to her advocacy work, Anastasiia is the founder and owner of Dance with Anastasiia business, where she applies her entrepreneurial skills to drive success in the ballroom dance industry. Anastasiia’s leadership in both business and activism reflects a deep commitment to fostering positive change, whether through supporting local communities or championing the international cause of Ukrainian freedom. As a former founder of World for Ukraine NGO, Anastasiia led initiatives focused on standing strong with Ukraine. With a profound dedication to both civic engagement and entrepreneurship, Anastasiia remains a steadfast advocate for justice, peace, and the future of Ukraine.

 

Oksana Barchuk is a dynamic and accomplished international business professional with over a decade of experience in leadership, strategic planning, and public diplomacy. Currently serving as the Associate Director of Government Affairs at Razom, she is a driving force behind advocacy initiatives that support Ukraine. Oksana’s passion and pride for Ukraine is evident in her work to advance human rights and support humanitarian efforts amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine. Oksana held roles such as Vice President for External and International Affairs at Ukraine Focus, where she forged critical partnerships, sourced funding, and led more than 10 aid missions to Ukraine. She also held significant positions at Ukraine Friends and Sunset Group, Inc., where she specialized in external relations, regulatory compliance, and cultural exchange programs. Oksana’s hands-on experience in liaising with U.S. and Ukrainian officials, combined with her fluency in English, Ukrainian, and Russian, positions her to continue to contribute to impactful international collaborations that make a real difference for Ukraine and beyond.


Daniel Vaynshteyn is an Advocacy Associate on Razom’s Advocacy team. Prior to Razom, Daniel worked on Capitol HIll most recently as a Legislative Director overseeing policy related to Foreign Affairs, National Security, Armed Services, and served as a liaison to the U.S. Helsinki Commission. He currently holds a Bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies from American University. 

 

Advocacy Advisory Board 

Members of the Razom Advocacy Advisory Board guide the team as we seek to ensure that Ukraine recieves the tools it needs for a swift victory. We are grateful to the top policymakers, experts, and executives who have joined the advisory board. The 2023-24 Advocacy Advisory board members are:

 

Dr. Anders Åslund, Senior Fellow at the Stockholm Free World Forum for Global Affairs 

Gen. Philip Breedlove (ret.), Former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe

Ambassador Paula Dobriansky, Former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs 

Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Metropolitan-Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia

Victor J. Herlinsky, Jr., Attorney, Sills, Cummis & Gross

Yevhen Hlibovytsky, Partner, Pro.Mova Consulting

Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges (ret.), Former Commanding General, U.S. Army Europe

Mark Levin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO,  National Coalition for Supporting Eurasian Jewry

The Honorable Tom Malinowski, Former Representative for New Jersey’s 7th District, U.S. House of Representatives 

Oleksandra Matviichuk, Head, Center for Civil Liberties & 2022 Nobel Laureate

Nate Mook, Former CEO, World Central Kitchen

Steven Moore, President, Ukraine Freedom Project

Nataliya PopovychFounder & President, One Philosophy & WeAreUkraine 

Christina Walsh, Senior Director of Activism and Coalitions, Institute for Justice 

Diane Zeleny, Head of External Affairs, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 

Arnie D. Fielkow, Former New Orleans City Council President, Executive Vice President, New Orleans Saints, and CEO, National Basketball Retired Players Assn.

Ellen Yount, Vice President, MSI/A Tetra Tech Company.

 

 

Updates

 

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