Roman Waschuk – retired Canadian diplomat, Business Ombudsman in Ukraine since January 1, 2022.
Roman Waschuk joined the Foreign Service in 1987. In Ottawa, he worked in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in the Eastern Europe, European Union, and Policy Planning Divisions, as well as on the Global Partnership, and the Stabilization and Reconstruction Task Force. In the latter position, he managed an annual budget of CAD 125 mn.
Abroad, he worked in the Political/Economic sections of Embassies in Moscow (1988-91), Kyiv (1994-98), and Berlin (2002-2007). Appointed Ambassador of Canada to Serbia in 2011, with concurrent accreditation to Northern Macedonia and Montenegro. Transferred to Kyiv in October 2014, where he served as Ambassador of Canada until October 2019. Co-organized the Conference on Reforms in Ukraine (Toronto, 2019).
You can download the current program in PDF format or view it directly on our website.
DownloadThe year began with tensions between business and the state authorities, when entrepreneurs began to speak openly about unjustified harassment by government agencies. The President's decisive actions contributed to resolving the conflict, but it became clear that the existing model of interaction needs to transform. Business is calling for a new social contract: honest work and tax payments by entrepreneurs in exchange for a guarantee of no unreasonable state intervention.
This panel discussion will focus on ways to build new, and much more transparent and meaningful, relations between business and government. How can a balance be reached to ensure mutual trust and promote economic development? What steps are needed to reset these relations and create conditions for sustainable business growth in Ukraine?