University to host visit by Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko

The University of St Andrews is to give students, staff and the wider community a unique insight into the impact of the war in Ukraine when it welcomes one of the country’s leading Members of Parliament, Lesia Vasylenko, during her visit to Scotland next Friday 7 October.

Ms Vasylenko, who is from Kyiv and has held the office of the People’s Deputy of Ukraine since 2019, is an outspoken critic of the Russian invasion, providing more than 300,000 Twitter followers across the globe with regular and often harrowing updates about the situation on the ground.

During her visit to St Andrews, Ms Vaslylenko will meet with some of the University’s Ukrainian students before taking part in a round table session with students and staff from the School of International Relations. Ms Vasylenko will also meet with University Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Sally Mapstone FRSE.

In the evening, Ms Vasylenko will take part in a public event with the Head of the School of International Relations and Professor of Strategic Studies, Phillips O’Brien. This event, run as part of the University’s Scotland’s Future Series, will be open to all and include a Question and Answer session.

Commenting on Ms Vasylenko’s visit, Professor O’Brien said: “It’s extremely important that the Ukrainian perspective, which was decidedly overlooked before February 24, is understood by the international community.

“As a leading Ukrainian politician, lawyer and international figure, Lesia Vasylenko is ideally placed to educate us on how Ukrainians see the struggle for their independence seven months after the horrific Russian escalation and we look forward to welcoming her to St Andrews.”

Tickets for the event, which takes place in Parliament Hall, South Street, St Andrews from 6pm to 7pm, are free and available from Eventbrite.