In 2008,she obtained a Master's degree at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy,defending her thesis on the topic "Automated agent-oriented systems in control systems and technologies".[3]
A 2018 graduate of the Stanford Women's Executive Program.
Career and business
In 2005,in the third year of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy,Kira started working in the IT field at Software MacKiev. Since 2007,she has tested software at TAIN Ukraine.[3] She worked as a manager of several IT projects,in particular American MiMedia (2010—2013) and TechTeamLabs (2013—2016).
Since 2016,she has been the chief operating officer of Ring Ukraine.[4] In 3 years,under her leadership,the company increased its staff in Ukraine from ten to a thousand employees with offices in three cities,and the company was considered the most innovative development office in Ukraine. In 2018,Ring was sold to Amazon for $1 billion,making it the second-largest asset purchase in Amazon's history.[5][6]
Political activity
In the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election,Rudik was elected as a People's Deputy of Ukraine as the third member of the proportional list of the Holos party. In the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament),she became the first deputy head of the Digital Transformation Committee.[7] She is a co-chairperson of the group on inter-parliamentary relations with Singapore and a Member of the inter-factional association "Equal Opportunities",which aims to ensure gender equality.
As a People's Deputy,Rudik has continued to support the IT industry and opposes tax increases for IT professionals.[8][9] In addition,she is a co-author of a number of draft laws[10] In the Committee on Digital Transformation,she has been working on such projects as the switching to the "Paperless" mode in governance;introduction of the world's first digital passports;"state in a smartphone" project implying digitalization of public services and harmonization of legislation with the EU space;introduction of public electronic registers.
On 12 December 2019,Rudik became the co-chair of the Humane Country Association,created on the initiative of the UAnimals to protect animals from cruelty.[11] As part of work at Humane Country,she is engaged in advocacy and promotion of laws regarding the humane treatment of animals. In particular,they established by law the responsibility for the abuse of animals,and banned fireworks. Next up is the ban on the use of animals in circuses and dolphinariums.
On 11 March 2020,the congress of the Holos party elected Rudik as the head of the party. Before that,Sviatoslav Vakarchuk was the head of the party. In July 2020,Rudik announced the transition of the party to the opposition.[12] Rudik has claimed that Holos is the first liberal party to form a faction in the Verkhovna Rada.[13]
Under Rudik's leadership,the party successfully took part in the 2020 Ukrainian local elections,securing the election of more than 300 of its representatives to local councils,including in Kyiv,Lviv,Rivne and 50 other cities and communities. More than 50% of deputies elected by Holos are women. Under Rudik's leadership,Holos also became the first of the parliamentary parties of Ukraine to receive full membership in the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).[14]
On 4 September 2020,Russia included Rudik in the list of persons subject to special economic measures.[15]
On 4 June 2022,she was elected Vice President of the ALDE,for the first time in history from among countries that are not members of the EU. As the Vice President of ALDE,on the eve of the decision to grant Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership,she made a working visit to Brussels,where she held political meetings in support of the historic decision with European parliamentarians.[16]
At ALDE she is focused on ensuring the interaction of liberal parties with Ukraine and promoting interests of Ukraine in the European Parliament;representation of countries outside the EU (Ukraine,Georgia,Moldova,Iceland and Norway);acceleration of the EU enlargement process (first of all,European integration of Ukraine);advocacy for female leadership within the framework of the "Alliance of Her" program.
In November 2022,she received the Women In Politics Champion of the Year Award from The Alliance of Her.[17]
Russian invasion of Ukraine
With the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022,Rudik has taken an active part in forming sustainable international support for Ukraine. On the day of the Russian invasion,she was in the Verkhovna Rada,where she supported the introduction of martial law and the adoption of all bills necessary for defense.[citation needed]
From the first days of the war,in communication with European and American politicians and international media,she advocated for the introduction of a no-fly zone over Ukraine,[18] and also for quickly providing Ukraine with the necessary weapons.[19] Advocates for negotiations between Ukraine and its partners with Russia exclusively from a position of strength.[20]
Rudik has expressed support for the confiscation of seized Russian assets in favor of Ukraine,as well as recognition of Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism for further expansion of sanctions.[21]
Together with Bill Browder,Rudik has participated in an advocacy campaign for the adoption of laws on the confiscation of the Russian property registered in the United States,United Kingdom,and Canada,and channeling those funds to support Ukraine and its post-war reconstruction.[22]
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon meeting Kira Rudik in May 2022
In May 2022 Rudik traveled to Scotland for a meeting the First MinisterNicola Sturgeon. She thanked her for the support of Scotland.[23] In June 2022,she visited Lithuania and Sweden,where she held meetings with the Speaker of the SeimasViktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen,the Mayor of VilniusRemigijus Šimašius,and Swedish and Lithuanian parliamentarians to strengthen support for Ukraine.[24] She was a participant in the 75th Liberal International Congress,where she spoke in a panel discussion on security and the new world order.[25]
She participated in the work of the European Union summit,where Ukraine received the status of a candidate for EU membership,held a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron as part of the summit of leaders of European liberal parties.[26]
French President Emmanuel Macron meeting Kira Rudik in June 2022
While taking part in the General Assembly of the Africa Liberal Network,Rudik said that an important task for a politician is the consolidation of political support for Ukraine from the countries of the Global South and noted that it was necessary to convince African liberal partners of the need for real actions in support of Ukraine and international security,to call together with Ukrainians to protect international peace,security and territorial integrity and strengthen Ukraine's position in the Global South.[27]
At a meeting with the Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi in Washington,D.C.,Rudik spoke about publicly supporting the confiscation of Russian assets in favor of Ukraine. The speaker of the US House of Representatives is known for her support of Ukraine. In particular,Nancy Pelosi made a statement that Russia should be recognized as a state sponsor of terrorism.[28]
Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi meeting Kira Rudik in September 2022
During a meeting with Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas,Kira Rudik presented a project to confiscate Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine. Estonia was chosen for the presentation of the project because of the huge contribution made by the Baltic states in support of Ukraine.[29]
At the conference of the British Liberal Democrats in Bournemouth in the fall of 2023,Rudik called on the Liberal Democrats to help accelerate the process of confiscating Russian assets and transferring them to Ukraine.[30] Along with William Browder and Henry Jackson Society director Alan Mendoza,she participated in a panel discussion on the confiscation of Russian assets,where she stated that progress toward confiscation was not only a matter of justice and necessity,but also a clear signal to other dictatorships across the world.[31]
At the Global Forum of Women Leaders in Reykjavík,she met with former President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė and Prime Minister of Iceland Katrín Jakobsdóttir,at which she thanked them for their comprehensive support of Ukrainians' struggle for freedom and democracy.[32]
Dalia Grybauskaitė&Kira Rudik,Reykjavík,November 2023
Rudik has advocated for increased ties between Ukraine and Taiwan,and was one of the first People's Deputies of Ukraine to visit Taiwan. During her visit,she met with President Tsai Ing-wen and representatives of the Legislative Yuan and the government.[33]
Social activities
In ALDE Rudik is responsible for the advocacy of female leadership and the "Alliance of Her" program created for women from various European countries who are starting their careers in politics. About 200 participants have completed the program,having received knowledge,experience,and support from the leaders of European politics.[34]
Media activity
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine,Kira Rudik has been conducting an active information campaign in the leading mass media of the United States,United Kingdom,Canada,and Europe in support of Ukraine,advocating for the provision of military,financial and political support to the country.
The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party is a European political party composed of 60 national-level parties from across Europe,mainly active in the European Union. The ALDE Party is affiliated with Liberal International and a recognised European political party,incorporated as a non-profit association under Belgian law.
The Socialist Party of Ukraine was a social democratic and democratic socialist political party in Ukraine. It was one of the oldest parties in Ukraine and was created by former members of the Soviet-era Communist Party of Ukraine in late 1991,when the Communist Party was banned. The party was represented in the Verkhovna Rada,Ukraine's parliament,from 1994 to 2007 and was the third and fourth largest party during that period. From 2007 onwards the party's electoral results became increasingly marginal,failing to win any seats in subsequent elections despite historically strong support in the central regions of the country. Oleksandr Moroz had led the party for more than twenty years before his resignation in 2012.
The European Democratic Party,also known as the European Democrats,is a centrist European political party in favour of European integration. François Bayrou is the party's president.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is the unicameral parliament of Ukraine.
Mykola Dmytrovych Katerynchuk is a Ukrainian politician and lawyer,a PhD in law,a former member of the Verkhovna Rada. The chairman of the European Party of Ukraine.
Holos,translated as Voice or Vote,is a liberal and pro-European political party in Ukraine,which was led by Ukrainian musician Svyatoslav Vakarchuk until March 2020. The party won 20 MPs in the 2019 parliamentary election and became part of the opposition in the current Ukrainian parliament. The party split late July 2021 and seven MPs were expelled from the party. As of September 2021,only nine of the party's 20 seats in the Verkhovna Rada are held by MPs who are loyal to the party;the remaining 11 are held by MPs who have formed a breakaway group called Justice.
Oleksandr Korniyenko is a Ukrainian politician,First Deputy Chief of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine,a former Head of the Servant of the People political party. Co-chair of the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council. One of the rulers of Decentralization Reform and Public Administration Reform in Ukraine. Supports the development of youth policy in Ukraine. Has more than 10 years’experience in business coaching and development consulting. Was elected to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in 2019.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the 9th convocation is the current convocation of the legislative branch of the Verkhovna Rada,Ukraine's unicameral parliament. The 9th convocation meets at the Verkhovna Rada building in Kyiv,having begun its term on 29 August 2019 following the last session of the 8th Verkhovna Rada.
Solomiia Anatoliivna Bobrovska is a Ukrainian politician and civic activist currently serving as a People's Deputy of Ukraine on the proportional list of the Holos party since 2019. From 2016 to 2017,she served as the Acting Governor of Odesa Oblast.
The Lublin Triangle is a regional alliance of three European countries –Lithuania,Poland,and Ukraine –for the purposes of strengthening mutual military,cultural,economic and political cooperation and supporting Ukraine's integration into the European Union and NATO. The Lublin Triangle initiative invokes the integrative heritage of the 1569 Union of Lublin.
Rustem Enverovych Umerov is a Ukrainian politician,businessman,investor,philanthropist and the current Defence Minister of Ukraine. Umerov is a Muslim,and of Crimean Tatar origin.
Justice is a parliamentary faction in the Verkhovna Rada,founded by 11 deputies of the Holos party who disagree with the actions of the party leadership.
Inna Romanivna Sovsun is a Ukrainian professor and politician. She served as Ukraine's deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine from 2014 to 2016. On August 23,2016,Sovsun resigned from her post following a controversy involving an order that would have reduced staffing levels of the Ministry of Education and Science by up to 10%. She served as vice-president of the Kyiv School of Economics from 2016 to 2018. She has also been a full professor of the department of political science National University "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy",as well as co-founder and former director of the think tank CEDOS.
Lesia Volodymyrivna Vasylenko is a Ukrainian lawyer and politician serving as a People's Deputy of Ukraine in the 9th Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada. Vasylenko is a member of the Ukrainian permanent delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union's Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. She is the founder of Legal Hundred,a human rights non-governmental organization that provides assistance to servicemen and veterans.
Natalya Romanivna Pipa is a Ukrainian politician currently serving as a People's Deputy of Ukraine representing Ukraine's 115th electoral district as a member of Holos. She is a member of the Ukrainian Galician Party. Prior to her election,she was a local leader of the Ukrainian Galician Party in the city of Lviv.
Yaroslav Romanovych Yurchyshyn is a Ukrainian politician and anti-corruption activist currently serving as a People's Deputy of Ukraine from the proportional list of the Holos party since 2019. Prior to his election,he was executive director of Transparency International Ukraine and a member of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine.
Volodymyr Volodymyrovych Tsabal is a Ukrainian economist and politician currently serving as a People's Deputy of Ukraine on the proportional list of the Holos party since 2019. Prior to his election,he was an economic analyst working in the private sector.
Andriy Andriiovych Sharaskin is a Ukrainian actor,military commander,and politician currently serving as a People's Deputy of Ukraine from the proportional list of the Holos party since 2020. Prior to his election,he served in the war in Donbas,commanding Cyborgs from the Ukrainian Volunteer Corps during the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport.
Serhiy Ivanovych Rakhmanin is a Ukrainian journalist and politician currently serving as a People's Deputy of Ukraine on the proportional list of the Holos party since 2019. Prior to his election,he was the deputy chief editor at Dzerkalo Tyzhnia and a reporter for other Ukrainian news programmes.
Yulia Leonidivna Klymenko is a Ukrainian politician currently serving as a People's Deputy of Ukraine on the proportional list of the Holos party since 2019. Prior to her election,she served as Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade between 2015 and 2016.
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