Continuing the Conversation: Democracy in Ukraine (October 29, 2026)

Following our October 29, 2026 Forum with Dr. Timothy Snyder, we hosted a panel on Democracy in Ukraine. We are grateful to have been joined by local Ukrainian-American leaders from the Twin Cities. Our panelists were: Dr. Nataliya Danylkova, MD, MBA, and Stephen Vitvitsky. They were hosted by our Executive Director Dr. Sara Wilhelm Garbers.
'They referenced two organizations that we wish to highlight: https://www.standwithukrainemn.com and https://uaccmn.org.
Stephen Vitvitsky is a 2nd generation Ukrainian American who holds a degree in International Studies from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. He has served on the Board of Directors at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center in N.E. Minneapolis, and on that organization's Advocacy Committee. Stephen is the Treasurer for the Minneapolis branch of PLAST Ukrainian Scouting Organization and he was a founding member of Stand with Ukraine MN, where he has been a public speaker, writer, and press liaison. Stephen has also traveled to Washington D.C. several times since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, meeting with Minnesota's congressional delegation as an advocate with the American Coalition for Ukraine.
Dr. Nataliya Danylkova, MD, MBA, is a Ukrainian-born ophthalmologist, physician leader, and humanitarian advocate based in Minnesota. She graduated with honors from Ternopil National Medical University, completed ophthalmology residencies in Ukraine and at Northwestern University, and earned an MBA from Metropolitan State University. She is a past president of the Minnesota Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons.
Dr. Danylkova's commitment to Ukraine's independence and freedom began with her participation in the student-led Revolution on Granite in 1990. For more than three decades, she has remained a tireless advocate for Ukraine, raising awareness through media interviews, public engagement, and dialogue with elected officials in Minnesota and Washington, D.C. She has also supported Ukrainian hospitals, humanitarian organizations, and rehabilitation efforts for wounded soldiers.
Following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, she became one of the founding members of Stand with Ukraine Minnesota, helping lead fundraising initiatives, coordinate humanitarian relief, and mobilize support for Ukraine through political advocacy and national medical organizations. In the early weeks of the invasion, she traveled to Przemyśl on the Polish-Ukrainian border, where she provided medical care to refugees in collaboration with international relief organizations.
Her humanitarian work also includes ophthalmic surgical missions in Kenya. In recognition of her service, she received the 2022 American Academy of Ophthalmology Humanitarian Award.
Drawing on her Ukrainian roots, medical career, and decades of civic engagement, Dr. Danylkova brings a deeply personal perspective on Ukraine's struggle for independence, the human cost of war, and the importance of international solidarity.