Ambassador Kyslytsya will discuss his efforts on behalf of Ukraine at the United Nations and on the world stage as his country defends itself against the full-scale invasion launched by Russia over two years ago. He will describe his remarkable journey from Kyiv to KU, and from there to a prominent career as one of Ukraine’s leading diplomats. The Ambassador will also respond to questions from the audience. The conversation will be moderated by Erik Scott, John P. Black Professor of History and Director of KU’s Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies.

The event is organized by KU’s Department of Slavic, German, and Eurasian Studies (SGES) and KU’s Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies (CREES). SGES is one of the leading departments in the United States devoted to the languages, cultures, and literatures of Eastern Europe and Eurasia, with a particular strength in Ukrainian studies. CREES is the only federally-designated resource center on this crucial world area in the Great Plains. The event is also being co-sponsored by KU International Affairs, the Dole Institute of Politics, and the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

Sergiy Olehovych Kyslytsya is a Ukrainian career diplomat, who serves as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine and Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations. Kyslytsya also currently serves as Ukraine's Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago. Previously, he served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (2014–2019), and the Director-General for International Organizations within the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry (2006-2014).

Ambassador Kyslytsya graduated cum laude from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv with a Master of Arts degree in International Law. He studied at the University of Kansas in 1992-1993.