First Cohort of Ukrainian Veterans Completed Leadership Program of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation at Yale University

Next Cohort to Launch in Late 2026

May 7, 2026, Kyiv, Ukraine

The first cohort of Ukrainian veterans has successfully completed the Ukrainian Veterans Leadership Program (UVLP), the first international program established by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation specifically for veterans. The program took place in late April 2026 at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs.

Over the course of five days, participants explored topics including contemporary leadership and its historical models, communication, ethics, global challenges, and international relations. A particular focus was placed on Ukraine’s role in the world, especially through understanding how Ukraine is perceived by international citizens and leaders, and how to effectively shape its position on the international stage. Significant attention was also given to the role of veterans in society and international experience in engaging veterans in leadership.

The program combined lectures, practical sessions, and interactive discussions led by a range of scholars and practitioners. Among them were Timothy Snyder, Richard C. Levin Professor Emeritus of History and Global Affairs, discussing the meaning of this moment in history; Robert Malley, Senior Fellow at Yale Jackson, speaking about the changing dynamics of war and peace; Emma Sky and Yuval Ben-David from the International Leadership Center, leading a session on imagining scenarios for Ukraine in 2050; Zoe Chance, Senior Lecturer at Yale School of Management, leading workshops on message framing and leadership presence; historian and Senior Lecturer Mike Brenes, presenting an interactive session on Ukraine’s future; and Brandon Nappi of Yale Divinity School, whose session on ethics, mindfulness, and transformative leadership helped participants reflect on the values they are fighting for.

Each day concluded with After Action Reviews — structured debrief discussions moderated by the program’s lead instructor, Jimmy Hatch, a Yale Jackson lecturer and U.S. Navy SEAL veteran who took part in over 150 combat missions before his military career ended in 2009 due to severe injury.

Svitlana Grytsenko, Head of the Ukrainian Veterans Leadership Program of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, noted the completion of the pilot phase and outlined future plans:  “We have successfully completed the pilot phase of the program. The next cohort will launch in late 2026, and applications will open this summer. Our goal is not only to provide knowledge, but to support its reflection and practical application in the Ukrainian context — in the military, government and society. Ukrainian veterans have already proven their leadership and will continue to be leaders of change in Ukraine.”

Participants of the first cohort emphasized that the program provided not only knowledge but also tools for practical application.

“This program did not provide ready-made answers. It provided the context — broader, more complex, sometimes uncomfortable,” said Kateryna Lutsyk, a program participant and veteran of the Air Assault Forces, discharged after being wounded. “It gave more questions than answers, and at the same time, a clearer sense of where to look next. For me, it was also about people. The entire group consists of leaders — people who work with others and lead them. In such an environment, you clearly feel the responsibility not only to understand, but to carry this forward.”

“For me, this program is first of all about mindset: expanding horizons of perception and gaining a deeper understanding of what it means to be a leader and the responsibility one carries toward others,” said Dmytro Finashin, program participant, former sniper and reconnaissance officer, Advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine on veterans policy, Hero of Ukraine. “Leadership is a force that must be used wisely and directed appropriately. This program will certainly be useful for me in the future, as I strive to develop not only my close circle — my family — but also the broader environment. I want my work to have a real impact on society and our country, and over time, perhaps on the world.”

“This program helped us realize that we, Ukrainians, are in fact global leaders,” noted Yehor Firsov, Deputy Commander of the 21st Unmanned Systems Regiment Kraken of the 3rd Army Corps. “The world is open to us. We have enormous space to create within our country, whether in the drone industry or in veterans policy. Today, Ukraine is undergoing processes the world has never seen before. Everything is in our hands: to lead these processes, scale them, and in doing so, secure our place in the world.”

The Ukrainian Veterans Leadership Program (UVLP) is the first international leadership program created by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation for Ukrainian veterans, aimed at developing leadership potential through access to world-class educational practices. The program is a key element of the Foundation’s long-term strategy for leadership development in Ukraine.

UVLP is a vital addition to the Victor Pinchuk Foundation’s leadership ecosystem. For two decades the Foundation has been dedicated to empowering the next generation of changemakers through initiatives such as Aspen leadership seminars; Zavtra.UA  (the largest scholarship program in Ukraine); and WorldWideStudies (an international scholarship program for Ukrainian students). This new leadership track complements Victor and Olena Pinchuk’s existing veterans and military-focused projects:  RECOVERY, which focuses on high-tech physical rehabilitation for military persons and veterans; RETURNING, which provides essential mental health support for military persons, veterans and their families, as well as Message from the Frontline initiative by Ukrainian veterans and soldiers to share insights with Western decision-makers.

Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs is a professional school offering interdisciplinary academic programs that prepare students for global leadership and service. Its graduate programs include the Master of Public Policy and the Master of Advanced Study in Global Affairs, along with a number of joint-degree and undergraduate offerings.

Yale University, founded in 1701, is committed to improving the world today and for future generations through outstanding research, scholarship, education, and practice.

Photos are available here

Website: https://pinchukfund.org

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