In Kyiv, where the signs of war linger behind its golden domes, Dr. Roman Sheremeta, an economist with a sharp mind for strategy, sets out on a mission shaped by both crisis and hope. Moving through Ukraine’s struggle for recovery and survival, he works at the front lines of a conflict fought with intellect as much as with arms. Sheremeta draws from the discipline of chess and behavioral economics to help Ukraine rebuild from war, using a playbook that values strategic patience and human adaptation. His journey reveals not just academic achievement but the deeper story of Ukraine’s fight for its future.
His journey reveals not just academic achievement but the deeper story of Ukraine’s fight for its future.
A scholar of conflict: from chess boards to economic strategy
Sheremeta’s early life in Ukraine revolved around chess and mathematics, interests that became a lifelong passion for studying decision-making in conflict. What began as after-school competitions led him to specialize in game theory and behavioral economics, eventually earning him international recognition such as the Smith Budding Genius Award in behavioral economics and a place on Forbes’s ‘40 under 40’ list. This background brought him into President Zelensky’s circle as an advisor, and put his ideas on the global stage.
Sheremeta pays close attention to how cultural values shape negotiation. In Ukraine and across Eastern Europe, official honors hold more weight than in many Western countries, often shaping diplomatic conversations in ways outsiders may not grasp. For him, understanding these nuances can be the difference between reaching peace and prolonging conflict.
Opening a university under siege
Just weeks before Russia’s full-scale invasion, Sheremeta helped launch the American University of Kyiv, a bold move anticipating normal life amid looming chaos. The university quickly became more than a classroom. Stories from faculty surviving besieged cities reveal the real costs of building something new in wartime. For Sheremeta, these are not just tales of hardship but proof that Ukraine’s determination endures even under bombardment.
Running such an institution amid war is for Sheremeta both personally meaningful and politically charged, a clear statement that Ukraine refuses to give up its autonomy or ambitions.
The university is both an act of defiance and a signal to the world that Ukraine will keep investing in its intellectual future no matter how violent the present. Running such an institution amid war is for Sheremeta both personally meaningful and politically charged, a clear statement that Ukraine refuses to give up its autonomy or ambitions.
War's game theory: the unexpected calculus
The events leading up to Russia’s invasion exposed misjudgments that behavioral economists like Sheremeta analyze for a living, including his own. Even he underestimated the likelihood of all-out war, caught off guard by biases and overconfidence he usually critiques in others. This offers a glimpse into the difficulty of predicting adversaries’ actions when cultural perceptions distort judgment at every level.
Ukraine has become a proving ground for game theory’s ideas about brinkmanship and deterrence.
Ukraine has become a proving ground for game theory’s ideas about brinkmanship and deterrence. Russia’s nuclear threats work less by their direct danger than by the fear they create, a classic case where power comes from signaling intent rather than acting on it. In practice, decisions at this level are about maintaining long-term leverage, not just pursuing quick tactical wins.
Reconstruction through a behavioral lens
Looking ahead to what comes after fighting, Sheremeta places his hopes not primarily in government decrees but in ordinary Ukrainians’ resourcefulness. Research from the Institute for Behavioral Studies SUR, including Sheremeta’s own work on evacuation during active conflict, shows that giving people structured plans saves more lives than simply warning them about danger.
He believes Ukraine’s postwar recovery will depend on transparency and local entrepreneurship to counter corruption and inefficiency. Rather than waiting on top-down policies, Sheremeta argues that rebuilding should be driven by communities motivated to act, an approach grounded both in data and personal conviction. He sees ingenuity at the grassroots as Ukraine’s best path out of devastation.
A call to action: support beyond borders
Sheremeta urges direct international support for Ukraine, framing its defense as both a political necessity and a moral obligation reminiscent of past global struggles against oppression. He calls on people everywhere to advocate for Ukraine politically and to back up their beliefs with tangible acts, donating money or organizing community support, insisting that individual contributions matter in shaping global outcomes.
For Sheremeta, supporting Ukraine isn’t just about geopolitics; it’s about shared principles and defending basic fairness when they are threatened.
For Sheremeta, supporting Ukraine isn’t just about geopolitics; it’s about shared principles and defending basic fairness when they are threatened. He makes no grandiose promises for victory soon, but insists that standing with Ukraine now is a concrete choice that will define how this era is remembered, and what becomes possible for future generations.
