The Ukraine’s Quest for Mature Nation Statehood Roundtable Series began when a number of Ukrainian and American public and private institutions convened in April of 2000 to consider ways to encourage a more engaged level of dialogue between the U.S. and Ukraine.

These deliberations gave rise to a commitment: to convene an annual conference that would bring together prominent representatives from academia, the private sector and the governments of Ukraine, the United States and Europe, to monitor Ukraine’s progress towards fuller integration into the Euro-Atlantic community and stronger bilateral relations with the United States.

Seventeen events have now been held, including three special Quest forum gatherings devoted specifically to situational issues before returning again to its original format:

The conferences have resulted in improved cooperation between the governments of Ukraine and the United States on matters of mutual benefit. Further, the forums have proven to be a valuable venue for business-to-business contacts resulting in increased trade and investments between Ukraine and the country’s largest foreign investor, the United States. Finally, the series has provided an annual forum for think tanks and policy advisors from both countries to discuss ‘topics of the moment’ that may be of bilateral interest.

The following distinguished individuals have graced the UA Quest RT Series with presentations:

UA: B. Tarasyuk, O. Rybachuk, A. Kinakh, Y. Yekhanurov, V. Yanukovych, V. Pustovojtenko, I. Plyushch, A. Yatseniuk, V. Nalyvaichenko, H. Nemyria, Y. Lutsenko, Y. Chervonenko, Y. Pavlenko, R. Shpek, I. Mitiukov, K. Hryshchenko, A. Bilorus, A. Buteiko, Y. Shcherbak, A. Veselovski, V. Ohryzko, V. Khandohiy, O. Shamshur, Y. Sergeyev, O. Motsyk, S. Korsunsky, Y. Burkat, M. Popovich, Y. Kaminsky, V. Khmelko

EU & RU: J. Onyszkiewicz, P. Naimski, G. Jeszensky, J. Sherr, E. Koelsch, G. Burghardt, A. Gross, C. Hartzell, Y. Liuk, P. Nowina, V. Usackas, L. Mikeladze, J. Steinof, H. Wujec , R. Kacer, V. Usackas, J. Ritter, A. Pildegovics, M. Riekstins, M.  Gahler, N. Sensoy, K. Scharioth , J. de Vallera, A. Bruzga, N.Chirtoaca, F. Rivasseau, M. Pisarski, A. Pangratis, N. Lange, K. Bobinski, J. Pieklo, H. Kirimli, N. Goksel, A. Umland, V. Igrunov, A. Lebedev, S. Belkowski, A. Berdnikov, G. Shorokhov, A. Piontkowski

US & CA: M. McConnell, R. Lugar, C. Levin, J. McCain, J. Biden*, Z. Bzrezinski, P. Wolfowitz, R. Holbrooke, P. Dobriansky, D. Fried, A. Wayne, D. Kramer, D. Russell, C. Smith, C. Weldon, M. Hinchey, S. Levin, M. Kaptur, N. Lowey, B. Taylor, C. Pascual, S. Pifer, W. Miller, J. Herbst, W. Courtney, D. Wilson, B. Hunt, J. Tedstrom, A. Stent, W. Schneider, N. Lee, K. Smith, J. O’Keefe, C. Wallander, K. Crane, S. Nix, N. Ledsky, B. Futey, A. Aslund, A. Cohen, S. Larrabee, B. Jackson, S. Sestanovich, R. Legvold, S. Blank, H. Pirchner, I. Berman, S. Plokhii, L. Hajda, O. Subtelny, D. Fraser, L. Sarti, B. Wrzesnewskyj

In 2012, the UA Quest RT Series departed shortly from the tradition of numbered forums thematically done as trilogies and dedicated to examining overarching national issues; instead it focused on the immediate: Ukraine’s ‘Report Card’ on the Eve of Parliamentary Elections. In 2013 the UA Quest RT Series again remained situational; it turned to Divining the Outcome of the [November] EP Summit in Vilnius. 2014 saw a ‘situational’ Ouest RT one last time: Divining the Domestic and Foreign Policy/Security of Ukraine’s Next Parliament.

In early October 2015, the UA Quest RT Series returned to its regular structure. It initiated a new trilogy of forums that aim to explore Ukraine’s ethnic, religious and social cohesiveness. The topic of the first in the series: Roundtable XVI: Ukraine and the ‘National Minorities’ Question. In Fall 2016, the Series will run Roundtable XVII: Ukraine and Religious Freedom. In Fall 2017, the trilogy will finish up with 
UA Quest RT XVIII
: 
Ukraine and the Question of Social Cohesion
.

* [then] Senator Biden’s presentation read by Amb. William Miller at RT VIII