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Oksana Markarova

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2023-08-31

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2023-08-31

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1. “Which are under occupation for 17 months. And during the 17 months, people have been raped and tortured and killed there. And there is places like Crimea, Donetsk, and Lugansk, which have been occupied for almost 10 years. And people are being killed and tortured and raped for 10 years there. This is what gives us strengths regardless of how difficult it is to keep moving and to do everything possible and sometimes impossible to get all the weapons, to get all the sanctions, to liberate as much as we can as soon as we can so we can stop the suffering.”

   2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

2. “Forget and something that is going to be very difficult to completely get used to. So even now when I come back, I've been back already four times since the full-fledged war just recently at the beginning of August. It looks much better now because of the trees, because of the green, because of the flowers. Some houses have been repaired. Some were not, but you know, it's not as raw and painful as it was right in April. But still, you know, you remember, you know, who out of your neighbors are no longer there because they were killed during this time. And then it also constant reminder that, yes, my town was liberated after 32 days. But there are places in Ukraine.”

   2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

3. “Serious, and it's more painful. It was more painful to learn when I came for the first time after it was liberated in April when Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin first time visited Ukraine in April 2022 when all this Russian tags were still there and all the cars, civilian cars with homes and of course without you could not see the blood anymore but you could imagine it you know with all the buildings and on my street you know if you go down closer to through the butcher you know it's in some areas of that street there is even movie about it some there is like every building is destroyed you know and you see it and you understand that it's and to see the pictures you know of this it's it's just something that we will never”

   2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

4. “They returned as soon as they can. My mom lives there now, our relatives, the rest of the family is there. I visited several times, you know, during the time, during this difficult 32 days, when every cell was under occupation, when I had time to sleep. In my dreams, I was working in my house and thinking, why didn't I take the first prince of my children hands or see it, you know? Why didn't I take this photos, which I didn't have time to digitalize, at least some of them, you know, I was, you know, thanks God, my house was not destroyed. My father-in-law's house was severely destroyed. And in my case, the missile came between the house and the garage, you know. So, you know, lots of trees, but little damage, but nothing, nothing.”

   2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

5. “He couldn't do it the other way around. And plus, he was able to save my mom and his sister and their family and my now late father-in-law who died this year and moved them literally hours before Russians took over our part of Butcha. You know, it's called Warzenk, but administratively it's part of Butcha.”

   2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

6. “First of all, we all do have PTSD, and that's why I'm very grateful to First Lady that she put special emphasis on the mental health problems and actually developing holistic programs to address it throughout so that we can deal with it and move forward in the future, especially. But yes, you know, this personal experience, that would differentiates all Ukrainian diplomats from Russian diplomats, for example, that they can afford to lie about it and to say that something was staged. And you just want to, you know, do something to them because you know that at that particular moment your village is under occupation and you know what happens there. So it's the story of all Ukrainians. For me, you know, my husband left the day when it all started, the next day he flew back home. On the one hand, it was difficult for me and, you know, additional worry about him.”

   2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

7. “Know when I came, I really always felt that the relationships between us are strong and during the first year it was, I wouldn't say easy, of course. It requires a lot of work, but I wouldn't even use the word repair because we were just, you know, started with the basis that we have and we started building on it with, again, politicians from all political spectrum. So the friends we have in Congress in both parties, in leadership of both parties is the majority. And again, yes, we have difficult discussions sometimes, but I feel that we are talking with people who have the same values.”

   2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

8. “For five years, and actually, that was a basis of a lot of cooperation. And first PDA drawdowns, which were given to us even before Russia attacked in February. And there was a lot, a lot, a lot we started working on, the Axim Bank opened the finance line for 3 billion. The companies.”

   2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

9. “Before the full fledged attack. And from the very beginning, it was work on strategic partnership. And we achieved actually a lot, you know, when President Zelensky came in 2021. I know everyone is focusing on this full-fledged phase now, but in 2021 in September, when President Zelensky came for the visit to the White House, we actually agreed to sign a new strategic charter and we did a month after that. It's a very elaborate document which actually sets good roadmap for the improvement of our cooperation. We also signed the document is not public itself, but the fact sheet about it is public, a strategic”

   2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

10. “A very brief discussion with the family because, of course, you know, this position requires all family to serve actually. And COVID helped a little bit because I think if not for COVID, which taught us all how we can do long distance and virtually, it would be difficult for my husband to see how he would move to the US with his business engagements back home. So, you know, I couldn't say no. And yes, the idea was to take the strategic partnership, strategic friendship with our relations with the United States to the next level. And I saw that I could do a lot in raising the strategic ties with special, of course, focus on investment and other developments. It wasn't weeks, you know, I write. It was weeks before Russia started accumulating troops around the border, but it was almost not a full year, but 10 months.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

11. “So, five years at the Ministry of Finance was very difficult. And when President Zelensky was changing government, I finished my position, transferred everything to the new minister. And I was very glad to come back to normal life. You know, I even started a small startup company, not in finance, actually, in IKEA. And I was spending more time with my children and my husband. And really, I actually saw that my public service was over. I had other plans. I re-engaged with at the board of the Kyiv Mahila Academy, Ukrainian Catholic University help, you know, like I had all the plan that I would be doing. And I wasn't thinking about coming back, to be honest. But then when President Zelensky asked me to consider this position, of course, I couldn't say no. So after.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

12. “We are never frustrated with our friends here, really. I mean, yes, we need Samson Fester. Yes, time is of the essence. Yes, we will try to do everything to convince and to provide us faster. But we're very grateful for every support. And with F16th, we, as you know, our pilots already started the training and we're discussing with a number of countries the transfer of the platforms. And it's actually something for now, but also Samsung to build our future force When compatible not only with everything else in Ukraine, but with NATO, it is going to be a great addition to our common security.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

13. “And it's additional jobs. It's additional orders for this plan. So on the agricultural market, and I think the majority of farmers, we were talking about, they understand that with this war, it's Russia that is destructing the agricultural market. The prices for the fertilizers, everything that the companies really need, we have to stop the war in order to get back to normal life. But then we have to explain to people that by surrendering, you cannot stop this war. This war can only be one.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

14. “Well, it's either we're getting the drawdowns and we're getting what you have already in stock as the weapons and then Pentagon uses the money to buy the new upgraded, what they need right now for themselves. Or it's produced for us. And there are a number of companies. Like I meet with them on a regular basis. And I recently visited, for example, the Lima plant, the Abrams plant in Lima, Ohio.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

15. “Every time I hear something like this, I take it as a need for us to explain more. And that's what we're doing. So I spoke with a number of farm bureaus, for example, recently in many states, and we will be doing more of that. And first of all, I think we have to explain to people this package that people are talking about, 113 billion in different supplementary packages. The only money that your Ukraine is getting as the money is the direct budget support. And it's the smallest amount of that. It altogether about 20 billion. Everything else, whether it's security assistance, whether it's energy assistance, is actually money that are getting from the US budget in the majority to the US companies or to Pentagon in order to replenish”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

16. “To win from the national security perspective, from the efficiency perspective, you know, every dollar that is used to help Ukraine. And again, we are not getting the money. We are getting the goods which are produced here in the US, it's jobs created here in the US. You know, it's every dollar that you spend now, it's a multiple of that that you will not have to spend in order to protect other European allies or yourself from Russia. And plus it sends a message. At International Rules Matter and send a message to other aggressive states that might contemplate their aggressive grabs in the future”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

17. “For the future, and we need to win in order for them to get out from Ukraine, to get back into their own territory and mind their own business, talk about their country, develop their country, which is actually in a very poor state to start with. So the transatlantic security US is a very important member of the transatlantic family. US under Article 5 has an obligation to defend any other NATO country. Now, if Russia, if we do not stop Russia in Ukraine, if Russia, God forbid, and it will not, when in Ukraine, it will embolder, they will not stop in Ukraine. They will go ahead and attack. And frankly, we just have to listen to what Putin is saying. He was pretty open about it. And the majority of people around him. So from any perspective, you look at it from the human moral perspective, it's the right thing to help us.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

18. “Fight with the boy and defend dignity and defend people who are fighting. Now, I understand there are different priorities. As the finance minister, I understand that there are finite resources. But look at the American security and national security doctrines and interests. Is Russia a friend? No, Russia is an enemy. It's an enemy of anyone who believes in democracy, who believes in freedom. We are doing what is completely in accordance with the American security interests. We are defending ourselves, but we are also making Russia less aggressive.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

19. “On the internal politics, but I can say that I was very glad when there was a question that Brad asked about, he has to raise hands who would not support the funding. And it was only one hand. And yes, there are different opinions. And again, it's totally fine for people to have different opinions. But I still feel that the majority of Americans, Republicans, Democrat, independents, that they understand this fight and they support this fight. Again, it's not just because it's our lives that are lost, it's the tortures, it's the violation of the international law, but it's also because I think Americans are people who believe in justice in general. And when you see a bully, and this is what it is, who is acting aggressively and doing what normal people should not do, the first instinct of Americans is actually to stand up and”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

20. “It's also the summer campaign in which we are now since June is, according to the majority of military experts, not only Ukrainian, according to the general military and secretary Austin, is the hardest military operation since the World War II. It's difficult, it's dangerous. We are fighting against the enemy, which is much larger and has no red lines. But yet, during this difficult two months of the summer campaign, we never lost ground. We are steadily and deliberately liberating our land. The initiative is on our side. The truth is on our side. So it is difficult, but what is the other option? There is no other option.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

21. “This is generations of Ukrainians working and fighting towards that moment. And now we understand that this is our fight for independence and existence. But it's also for everyone who believes in the same values, for everyone who believes in democracy, for everyone who believes in freedom and being able to live like you want to live and being able to elect your government and change your government on a regular basis. This is existential fight for all of us. So yes, we have to show that we can outlast him. Yes, we have to stay the course as military people say. And there is no other way for all of us than to win. Now, you know, it's difficult. The front line is one of the largest front lines since the bourgeois tool.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

22. “And I always say that we are so grateful to all our friends and partners, but especially to the United States, to all people here from President Biden to administration, to Congress on the very strong bipartisan basis, but also to every American, really, every American that stored with us, supported us, provided so much needed support or supported Congress providing us with everything that we have needed during this time. And yes, it is a game of sustainment now. Can we sustain the effort? I mean, for Ukraine, of course we can sustain the effort. It's existential for us. We understand that to make it a break-it moment for us, it's the fight, again, we started our discussion.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

23. “Thank you. Yes, today is 553rd day of this horrible full fledged face of the world. But then let me again remind that the war started in 2014. And it's already been very difficult almost 10 years that Ukraine is defending itself from hot period, you know, when they illegally occupied Crimea and parts of Donetsk and Lugans, then all kinds of hybrids when they were killing people every year. I mean, we have lost 14,000 before this full-fledged war started. And then all kinds of other malignant influence and activities that Russia has been doing and preparing for this full-fledged war. So on the one hand, it's very difficult. On the other hand,”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

24. “All our partners, you know, we are really praying and asking them to give us more weapons and more sanctions to Russia so that we can win and return to just peace as soon as possible.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

25. “We Ukrainians have no illusions about Russians. If they could, they would eliminate and kill all of us. And, you know, when President said, I'm staying, I'm fighting with the country, for the country. He took that risk knowingly. And of course, I mean, I have high trust in our armed forces and in our security forces. And we all pray for the safety of our president. But we just have to understand. Look at what Russians are doing. They are targeting their kindergartens. They are targeting residential areas. Today they shut one of the supermarkets in Kiev, which I used to go to when I lived back home. So it's just nobody is completely safe in Ukraine on the one hand. And on the other hand, this is the reason why we have to double down and put all our efforts together.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

26. “Provoked why there is only one aggressor Russia, and Ukraine is a victim, but the victim that is fighting. So, you know, his role, I'm sure I already know it's already been studied, you know, just yesterday we had a discussion here about the new book published by two scientists, you know, Ukrainian in Great Britain and American, which is called the Zelensky effect. And there are so many others, and I'm sure it will be studied in the future. But right now for the president, and you see him looking much older, looking tired sometimes, looking concerned, looking completely devastated if you look at his pictures in Butcha or Lizu, looking at his pictures in all the places on the front line where he's courageously going literally every other week. You know, and you understand that there is only one goal for him to win.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

27. “In this field, you know, and farmers, when you say that it's direct to say speeches, they're like, oh, come on, you know, it's not like you are working in the, you know, doing something with your hands, but it takes a lot of energy and it takes a lot of, and the fact that he has this engagement, sometimes up to 10 per day, but that actually also was a very important element of not only getting information out not only countering Russian propaganda and false news, not only rallying the people and also getting our friends and allies and also people who were neutral at the beginning to make them see why this fight is important for all of us, why Ukraine is the side of light here, why it was totally un”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

28. “And he transformed actually the role of the leader of the country during this time. Because if you look at, you know, many people would say this is not what the leader of the country usually does, right? Talking directly to people, not only talking directly to people in your own country, but rather people in every other country, talking directly to the people on the streets in Poland, addressing Congress, addressing all the parliaments from Germany. His communication style, his willingness to communicate. He's actually capabilities to actually communicate. Imagine so many speeches every day. I mean, all of us who have to give interviews and speak sometimes and all for people in real sector and people in working.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

29. “But I think for all of us, it has been a very critical ingredient together with our brave defenders, together with the civil society, together with all Ukrainians doing everything possible, together with our strategic partners, especially in the US, that in this specific moment. But the fact that we had a president who's brave, and that's not something you can learn, you're either brave or you are not. And unfortunately, you can predict as much as you want to. And I'm sure people who knew very well, President, knew how brave he is. But we all have seen how brave he is after 24s. And this bravery, together with actually his super skill, being super communicator.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

30. “No, look, I think the moment when President after February 24th got his telephone out and recorded that message that I'm here, everyone is here. We are not going to surrender. We are not going to leave. And he The country to fight with his people, to lead his people, and to take all the risks that all Ukrainians have taken at that specific particular moment is a historic moment. And of course, there are many elements to our successful fight. And I'm sure to our successful victory. But his leadership in this, which already has So many times and appreciated, and there are so many awards that he has received in the United States from all the foundations from Reagan Institute, from, you know, pretty much from Atlantic Council, from so many organizations that study and You know, discuss”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

31. “Always according to the schedule, and it's kind of respect, you know, to all the people. And there were a lot of things that he had to deal with at the same time. And it was first international visits and so many different plans. But of course, you know, it's, I only had my area of responsibility, other people like the parliamentarians, the head of faction, the prime minister and others had much more discussions with the president. But, you know, we ever since we have discussed when he suggested me to stay in his new government, you know, it was exactly what Ukraine needed, you know, and it was, I wouldn't say like you cannot say, you know, that the work is difficult. But it was for the meeting. Finance, we always worked very constructively”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

32. “Well, of course, because campaign is one thing. You only see the public message. And when you start working with someone, especially with the finance, is the area where you meet a lot with the president. And there are a lot of deep issues and important issues to discuss. And the president really surprised me as someone who asked a lot and always wanted to get to the bottom of saints. was very you know like not what you would expect from a person from the entertainment industry but was as i said a very serious organizer very always on time you know i always take note of people whether they're organized or not and uh you know president zelensky i think a lot of people noticed when he was elected that he was never late he was”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

33. “Because in 2015, there was need for the technocrats to come and do. And there were a number of people who came from business, from other positions, from international organizations joined the government. So when President Zelensky won, our government, because in Ukraine it's the parliamentary election that actually leads to the change of government. So the prime minister then. And our government continued to work. And we had a couple of months that we actively worked with President Zelensky. And that's how we met.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

34. “Well, he wasn't, I know a lot of people phrase him as a star, but he was a producer of all the shows as well. And I think that's what a lot of people miss, that he ran his own very successful business. It was a self-made company and he was a self-made man. I actually didn't know President Zelensky before. We met when I was already was a finance minister and he was elected. And our team, we were part with Natalie, with other of technocrats who came not because of their political installations. I was never a member of any party.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

35. “How about your comment work as my deputy minister? I was offered this position and I'm going to take it. And I said, oh, well, you know, I don't know. I have the company. I have the family. I have everything. And then she said, well, consider it's a draft, you know, like people are volunteering to fight on the front lines. The company is in really bad shape, you know, literally in 2014. We had a day when a country of almost 40 million had 10,000 euros on the single treasury account. The public finance was in complete disarray after Yanukovych not only ran out, but the years of his governance really robbed the country blind. The deficit was almost 10%. You know, it was really, and we needed to restructure and negotiate new programs. So she spent one year only, cow, serve your country for one year, and then you can go back to your position. And that's how I started my five-year service.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

36. “But it was not what it was who I couldn't say no to Natalie Rescu. Who took the position of the finance minister? She was offered that position and she called me one day and she said, what are you doing next week? And I said, Ben, you know, working, fighting, helping, you know, people on the front. And she said, well,”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

37. “I was very active with my husband in both revolutions. So in 2004, we were active participants of the Orange Revolution. In 2014, from day one, you know, like I have back home the emails that my former company, both actually former companies, I worked at that time, gave me frames of the email that I sent when Orange Revolution started and when also the revolution of dignity started. And in both, you know, there was my emails to all the employees saying that, you know, if you want to support that, you can do it even during the work time. You will not be like, you can do it. I was not going to push them to do it, of course, because that also was not, but I wanted to make it clear that.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

38. “Exactly. So if you look at the history of modern Ukraine after the first revolution was the revolution on granite when students fought for independence, then it was Orange Revolution. It was pure revolution for democracy because it was about election and free and fair elections and defending their votes. And then we had 2014, which was all of that plus already, you know, we saw it very clearly that it was against not only oligarchs, but the Russian influence and against stealing our choice for the European future because the president then decided to turn away from European integration.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

39. “Absolutely, but this oligarchization demonopolization, Russian interests, closeness, you know, the political elite who yesterday were Soviets, today became Ukrainians and continued this party, communist party functionaries or consummable member functioners that transitioned into market economy people for their own good only. That all created this very nurturing environment for corruption. So we actually only after 2000, well, the first kind of wake-up call was when Russians tried to steal our elections in 2004”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

40. “You know, the solution of the Soviet Union has been the biggest tragedy in their mind. We were very glad, but we underestimated how much they will still be working against our independence. And at the beginning, in all the 90s, it was not a military aggression like we see now, but it was to undermine, to capture several areas of economy, to make sure that we cannot become independent, to make sure that we will not repeat the Poland or other countries' path which quickly joined NATO, which quickly started moving towards Europe, which developed their vibrant economy in order to be dependent and self-sustainable. So it was on the one hand a little bit of Wild Wild West, you know, there were a number of really great Ukrainian companies that were created at that time, but the competition was not there. And it was just multiple.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

41. “on Maidan. So this notion of Maidan, and now everyone knows this word because of the two revolutions. But it's actually something very traditional for Ukraine. You wait for the government to do the right thing. If they don't, people gather on Maidan and they change the government. And that's where they discuss it. So these were very individualistic in a European way, but then we get together as the community to discuss and decide, and it's a very democratic fashion. You know, the civil society was vibrant, but not yet formful at the beginning of 90s. The market economy came with all the pluses, but also, you know, minuses. If you don't have the institutions or rule of law. So that's why early on the economy was grabbed by the new oligarchs, the Russian interests, which again never from the day one. And Putin has been very open about it.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

42. “If you look at our independence, the reason we were able to fight for it is because Ukrainians, again, in this situation with occupation for a couple of hundred years, with government being foreign, you could only trust people around you. So these bonds and ties with people in your village, people in your city, people in your office, people in, they have been very strong. And Ukraine is a democracy and it's deeply rooted. This has differentiated us from Russians for a long time. You know, we have this joke, you know, where you have two Ukrainians, there are three headmans, you know, meaning three leaders. But it's only a half joke, is that Ukrainians are not shy to tell people in power what we're saying. Ukrainians are always discussing something. If you look at our history from Kiev and Russ, the majority of decisions were always made.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

43. “You know, in 2001, when I graduated with public finance, but I joined the private sector, I couldn't see myself in Ukraine that time working for the government. And the reason is after that breakup of the Soviet Union, the market economy was introduced to us very quickly. But the rule of law was not there. The institutions that we had were not Ukrainian institutions. We never had them. Ukraine was occupied for more than 400 years. We always had somebody else's institutions. So not only it generated big distrust of Ukrainians in government in general, but also we didn't have efficient institutions. So we had this hand-me-downs from the Soviet Union. So without rule of law, without the good institutions, and with civil society, which I think Ukraine always has, you know.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

44. “Family, you know, it felt like home, and yet it was a top grade university with a school where I have seen all the musicals and I love music. So, I seen rant and everything which just came out, you know, and it was great, and it gave me a big understanding. And love to this country”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

45. “Yes, to study in the US. And the process to get into it was very difficult. You know, lots of tests, much competition. You didn't choose universities, actually, in that program. You applied for the specific field of study and I wanted to do public finance. But then the university picks you. So it was the IU, Indiana University that picked me. a choice made in heaven. You know, I really loved it. Two years in Bloomington, grade school, one of the top schools in public finance. Excellent professors. I'm still in contact with some of them. Very good people. You know, I loved Midwest. It reminded me, Ukraine, especially my rural part of there.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

46. “Know, celebrated already more than 400 years. It was very pro-Ukrainian always. It was closed during the Soviet times. And it was reopened just in 1991. So I was doing that, but as many of the Kim Mahila students started working pretty early. So I worked in International Foundation for Election Systems. And then I worked for Kumonics. And then I started working for Western NAS Enterprise Fund. And during all this, I realized that I really liked finance and I really like to do that, but I lacked proper education and I knew that I wanted a very good education in that. And then I learned about this program, Masky Fellowship Program, which is actually an excellent initiative by By Edmund Muskie, which helped so many people.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

47. “Two choices where I was trying to get this kiomah academy and leave university. They applied mathematics was in Lviv University and environmental science, the natural science, actually faculty in Kiev Mahila, which was just opened a year before I got into it. And it was, again, I understand the big choice also for my parents to support it because it wasn't fully certified yet. But it's a very meaningful and historic place. It's one of the oldest universities in Ukraine, the second oldest Kirmahila Academy, which was”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

48. “You know, growing up in a family with two chemical engineers, as you might imagine, I didn't have a lot of choices in discussions around the table, what my future profession should be. And, you know, the salt in our house was passed around the table saying, Can you please pass my father with joke Nachum chloride? So they were always kind of growing up thinking that there are real professions like science and everything else. So that's why when I was choosing my first, when I was looking where to go after school, you know, there were two.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

49. “Very peaking or something like this, and you hear what your parents are talking about with death. So even when it was very difficult, I remember this recurrent, you know, kind of message, it's difficult, but we are free now. So there was never a discussion that, oh, you know, it was a little bit easier when we were occupied or when we were this big Soviet empire, you know. It was never that. It was, yes, it's difficult. Yes, you know, challenges, but the recurrent message was, you know, we are free at last.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

50. “Well, it was, I wouldn't call it euphoria, but it was joy beyond, you know, it was something that parents discussed with their friends before that happens. It was something when they talk to each other, called each other before the referendum, talking to others. You know, you have to go, you have to vote, you have to, it was such a period of even among people who did not have like freedom or independence fighters in their families, but people who understood that at that time already that it was our historic chance. So even when there was this very difficult years, and I remember again as a kid, we had a lot of people over at our house. My father and my mom liked to invite people over for any holidays, you know, or for weekends just to, or we would go several families to trips to the forest.”

    2023-08-31 · The Axe Files with David Axelrod · Ep. 547 — Amb. Oksana Markarova · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source