18 march 2025

State Effectiveness: How Can We “Skim the Cream” to Save Ukraine?

On 14 March, the Ukrainian School of Political Studies held a Club meeting titled “State Effectiveness: How Can We ‘Skim the Cream’ to Save Ukraine?”

Invited speakers and participants shared their views on the concept of state effectiveness. The central question of the discussion was whether effectiveness is a matter of choice — or a matter of necessity?

The metrics that define effectiveness vary across sectors. For some, it’s speed; for others — impact. In another domain, it might be low cost. Yet even though “effectiveness” is hard to define precisely, it remains a prerequisite for a successful state. In this context, valuable insights were offered by Andrii Borovyk, Executive Director of Transparency International Ukraine and 2024 graduate of the Ukrainian School of Political Studies.

To say that Ukraine is totally ineffective is wrong — although it’s painful to admit that many of our successes happen not thanks to the system, but despite it. Everyone has their own understanding of what effectiveness means. And here it’s important to emphasise that people often speak about corruption when they actually mean poor decisions or inefficient processes. Of course, we’d all like things to be high-quality, fast, and cheap — all at once. But that doesn’t happen. Absolute effectiveness is a rather elusive concept. Still, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep fighting for it. Why? Because without it, we simply won’t survive.

Andrii Borovyk

Executive Director of Transparency International Ukraine, USPS 2024 graduate

Equally important in the conversation about state effectiveness is how it is perceived by the public. For instance, can we consider the communication of a problem a marker of success? Does “exposing a problem” help solve it — or does it fuel a sense of inevitable helplessness and obscure the real threats?

The issue of our institutional instability and the urgent need to prioritise national resilience was addressed by Yurii Dzhyhyr — former Deputy Minister of Finance, former Deputy Minister of Defence, Supervisory Board member at Medical Procurement of Ukraine, and a 2006 USPS graduate.

The tasks of an existential struggle must not overshadow the need to pursue effectiveness. This is not a question of preference — effectiveness is critically necessary. It’s the only option available to us. And the search for it is about policy, about capable institutions, about political will and courage.

Yurii Dzhyhyr

Former Deputy Minister of Finance, former Deputy Minister of Defence, Supervisory Board Member at Medical Procurement of Ukraine, USPS 2006 graduate

Understanding effectiveness as a prerequisite for a successful state places specific demands on us. Amid the profound threats facing Ukraine — and the world — the role of institutions becomes ever more significant. Because, in the end, effectiveness is not a matter of choice; it is a necessity. It is the ability to solve complex problems. When society can present the state with ambitious goals — and the state is capable of meeting them.

This point was strongly emphasised at the event by Pavlo Kovtoniuk, co-founder of the Ukrainian Healthcare Center and the USPS 2021 graduate.

There are two ways to perceive the state — patrimonial and bureaucratic. In the former, personality reigns: “Who’s the minister?” “Who’s the president?” and so on. The latter is characterised by institutions — in other words, bureaucracies with missions. In Ukraine today, there is a clear public demand for patrimonial governance. But this model is helpless. The will of a single person cannot solve the complex problems facing Ukraine and the world today. Only resilient institutions can do that.

Pavlo Kovtoniuk

Co-founder of the Ukrainian Healthcare Center, 2021 USPS graduate

We are sincerely grateful to all speakers and participants for their openness and willingness to engage in meaningful discussion!

The Club was moderated by USPS Director Svitlana Matviienko.

This USPS Club was held with the support of the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI) — the leading anti-corruption programme in Ukraine, funded by the EU, co-funded and implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. The views and opinions expressed by experts or organisations during the event do not necessarily reflect those of the EUACI, the European Union, or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.