The surprise guest

In this column, we present the opinions, thoughts and comments of journalists and prominent personalities on topics that matter in today's Europe. This time, our guest is Ukrainian reporter Olena Abramovych. At the start of this new year, she shares with our readers her hopes for a better world.

Olena Abramovych is a Brussels-based Ukrainian journalist. Since the Russian attack in February 2022, her web-based TV channel, "Inter", has been part of the national around-the-clock news marathon covering the war across a large portion of Ukrainian territory. Olena has reported on the main political events in Brussels (such as NATO and EU summits) for Ukrainian TV channels since 2014. During the Maidan Revolution in Ukraine in 2013-2014, she helped journalists from Brussels liaise with the political leaders and institutions in Kyiv. She also collaborated with Dutch TV channel NOS on the investigation into the shooting down of the MH-17 passenger plane by Russia.

Besides politics, she has covered social stories and volunteered to help Ukrainian workers in Belgium fight for their rights. Since 2016 she has also been organising a "Leadership summer school" in her hometown, Kovel, in north-western Ukraine - a free-of-charge mentoring programme providing guidance to teenagers as they prepare to choose their university studies. She has a Bachelor degree in teaching and a Master's degree in journalism from the University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.