(MENAFN- Asia Times) Just over two years ago, Kharkiv Regional Council chairwoman Tetiana Yehorova-Lutsenko was forced to grab her two sons and go into hiding as invading Russian troops sought to assassinate locally elected officials, especially those aligned with President Volodymyr Zelensky's Servant of the People Party that the university law professor serves as deputy party chief.
The battle for Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city located kilometers from the Russian border, was more violent, more deadly than the Russian blitz to take out Zelensky and his government in the capital, Kiev.
The heroic resistance and defense of Kharkiv shocked Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Kremlin henchmen, who fully expected the predominantly Russian-speaking city to capitulate and welcome the invading soldiers rather than fight a block-by-block insurgency, leaving large swaths of working-class apartment complexes in rubble.
Utah Governor and National Governors Association chairman Spencer Cox speaks with Capitol Intelligence/CI Ukraine along with Colorado Governor and vice-chairman Jared Polis, former NGA chairman and Maryland Senate candidate for governor, Larry Hogan, and Maryland Governor Wes Moore on supporting Ukraine in Washington, DC, during the NGA Winter Meeting on February 22, 2024.
But two years after the invasion, Yehorova-Lutsenko has expanded her role by leading economic development to the region, such as persuading a Canadian company to build thousands of high-quality prefabricated homes for displaced workers from occupied Donetsk that now work in Kharkiv-based factories.
Yehorova-Lutsenko, who became the president of the Ukrainian association of locally elected officials last year, is now copying a page from the highly successful model used by US governors to promote economic investment in their home states: foreign trade missions accompanied by accomplished and dynamic business leaders.
Her direct counterpart in the United States is Utah Governor Spencer Cox, the current chairman of the National Governors Association.
Not only has Utah been the US state most active in Ukraine – leading numerous people to people and business to business missions throughout Ukraine – but the association of Utah defense companies 47G Utah Aerospace and Defense, led by Aaaron Starks, was the first US defense group to sign a memorandum of understanding with Zelensky to establish and promote co-production in the country.
During the National Governors Association Winter Meeting in Washington, President Joe Biden stressed to the governors their important role in helping Ukraine to achieve victory.
Utah, which calls itself“Silicon Slopes,” has surpassed Texas as the best state to do business in thanks to its diverse mix of companies, from high tech to agrochemicals, and a global outlook stemming from the Church of Latter Day Saints' (Mormons') tradition of sending its youth out to the world as missionaries.
Kharkiv Oblast chairwoman Tetiana Yehorova-Lutsenko speaks with Capitol Intelligence/CI Ukraine on her talks with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to forge a partnership agreement between the Region of Kharkiv and the State of Ohio after the sister-city partnership between Kharkiv and Cincinnati, Ohio, in Kiev on June 8, 2023.
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