--- title: Kelsie Kimberlin and Nobel Laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk On the Path To Peace in Ukraine description: American-Ukrainian Kelsie Kimberlin interviews Nobel laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk on Ukraine’s fight for human rights and democracy through art-led activism. author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief) date: 2025-08-12T06:51:48.000Z updated: 2026-09-24T23:13:13.078Z canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/kelsie-kimberlin-and-nobel-laureate-oleksandra-matviichuk-on-the-path-to-peace-in-ukraine image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/oleksandra-matviichuk.jpg categories: Female leadership content_type: Interview region: Ukraine publication: Rich Woman Magazine about: - type: Person name: Kelsie Kimberlin description: Kelsie Kimberlin is a 24-year-old Ukrainian-American singer-songwriter who has recorded over 100 original songs while working with Grammy-winning producers including Liam Nolan (Adele), Michael Brauer (Coldplay), and Greg Calbi (Taylor Swift). In 2023, she became the first artist granted permission to film music videos in the war-torn Ukrainian cities of Bucha and Irpin under martial law, creating powerful content about the war that has garnered nearly a million views and earned recognition from Ukraine's Armed Forces and President Zelensky's office. Find out more about her on her website or follow her on Instagram , TikTok and YouTube . url: https://www.tiktok.com/@kelsiekimberlinofficial1 --- [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkJCLw52QWY) When American-Ukrainian singer Kelsie Kimberlin sat down with Nobel Peace Prize recipient Oleksandra Matviichuk in Kyiv, she captured something raw and urgent that goes far beyond typical celebrity encounters. The interview, filmed during a break from Kimberlin’s documentary work in Ukraine, offers viewers an intimate glimpse into the personal stories that often get lost beneath the headlines. This striking conversation between two women—one an [artist using her platform to amplify voices](https://richwoman.co/article/yinka-amuda-from-diplomatic-service-to-artistic-expression-a-journey-of-social-impact), the other a lawyer documenting unthinkable atrocities—reveals how creativity and courage intersect during wartime. The meeting wasn’t accidental. Kimberlin had spent a month in Ukraine, including a week along the frontlines, witnessing what she describes as ‘unspeakable horrors to civilians and soldiers.’ Her journey wasn’t just about gathering material for her upcoming full-length film about Ukrainian resistance and resilience. As someone who founded the [Kelsie Kimberlin Foundation](https://kelsiekimberlinfoundation.org/) to support Ukraine through reconstruction, media work and life-saving drone purchases, she approaches storytelling as both artist and humanitarian. Her method is distinctly cultural—using music, film and personal connection to make activism accessible to audiences who might otherwise feel disconnected from distant conflicts. ## Meeting Ukraine’s Voice of Conscience Matviichuk brings a different kind of authority to their conversation. As head of the [Centre for Civil Liberties](https://www.nobelprize.org/events/nobel-prize-dialogue/brussels2024/panellists/oleksandra-matviichuk/), the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize-winning organisation, she has spent over 15 years promoting human rights and democracy throughout Ukraine and the broader OSCE region. Since Russia’s invasion intensified in 2022, her team has documented over 80,000 war crimes—a staggering figure that represents real people whose stories might otherwise remain untold. What makes Matviichuk’s perspective so compelling is her ability to frame individual suffering within larger historical patterns. She sees Putin’s war not as a regional dispute, but as a fundamental challenge to the international order established after World War II. ‘Ukraine is not just a goal [for Putin], Ukraine is a tool for how to break the international order,’ she tells Kimberlin. ‘And that is why it’s not just a war between two states. This is a war between two systems, authoritarianism and democracy.’ The interview delivers moments that feel both deeply personal and historically significant. When Kimberlin asks what it feels like to witness such systematic cruelty, Matviichuk’s response is visceral: ‘Russians came to take off everything that we love. Our freedom, our country, our future, our children, our joy. And I decided not to allow them such a chance.’ These aren’t abstract policy discussions. Matviichuk speaks with the urgency of someone who knows that every day of international hesitation costs Ukrainian lives. When pressed about what more could be done to end the war, her answer is direct: ‘The only thing that’s going to really help us get there and win this war are lethal weapons, are the people that are hearing these atrocities and saying, what are we going to do? How are we going to end this?’ She frames the stakes in terms that extend far beyond Ukraine’s borders: ‘We are fighting for the world order which was established after the Second World War. Which means that our fight is preventing the third one. Because countries of Europe are safe only because Ukrainians are still fighting.’ ## When Art Becomes Advocacy The power of Kimberlin’s approach lies in how she weaves together her various roles. Her music videos, including [recent work filmed in Kyiv locations](https://richwoman.co/article/kelsie-kimberlin-s-infinite-possibilities-the-father-daughter-song-behind-her-next-chapter), don’t just support Ukraine—they invite audiences into Ukrainian experiences through melody and imagery. Her foundation work provides concrete support through drone purchases and reconstruction aid. Her upcoming [documentary promises to tell stories](https://richwoman.co/article/angela-kung-s-unlikely-journey-from-healer-to-filmmaker-in-the-rise-of-the-lioness) that mainstream media has overlooked. This multifaceted approach has earned recognition from unexpected quarters. In April, Kimberlin received both the [United Nations Humanitarian Award and the St George’s Royal Medal of Honor](https://ukrainefrontlines.com/projects/ukrainian-american-singer-kelsie-kimberlin-receives-the-royal-society-of-st-george-medal-of-honor-and-una-usa-humanitarian-award-for-creative-advocacy-for-ukraine/) issued by King Charles III. These honours acknowledge something significant: her ability to make humanitarian issues accessible through cultural expression. The interview with Matviichuk represents the culmination of this approach. Rather than creating content about Ukraine, Kimberlin creates space for Ukrainian voices to speak directly to global audiences. The conversation has already garnered over 100,000 views, impressions, reactions and comments across YouTube and LinkedIn—evidence that people hunger for authentic connection to stories that matter. ## An Invitation to Listen Watching the full interview feels less like consuming media and more like being invited into a crucial conversation. Kimberlin’s questions draw out not just Matviichuk’s expertise, but her humanity. The result is something that news clips and policy papers often miss—the emotional reality of living through and documenting systematic attempts to destroy a society. The [complete interview](https://youtu.be/bkJCLw52QWY) on Kimberlin’s YouTube channel offers viewers a chance to experience this connection firsthand. In coming weeks, she plans to release additional interviews from her month-long Ukrainian journey, each promising to illuminate stories that have been overlooked by mainstream coverage. For anyone who cares about human rights, democracy or simply understanding what ordinary people endure during extraordinary circumstances, [these conversations offer something invaluable](https://richwoman.co/article/from-devon-to-kakuma-the-small-painting-that-inspired-a-refugee-art-movement): direct access to voices that might otherwise remain unheard. ## The Stage is Set This year marks a significant expansion of Kimberlin’s reach. Her full-length film about Ukraine will tour internationally alongside a soundtrack featuring many of her songs. The tour represents more than entertainment—it’s an opportunity for audiences worldwide to encounter Ukrainian stories through [an American artist who has chosen to use her platform](https://richwoman.co/article/from-immigration-advocate-to-cannes-shirley-maia-cusick-s-journey-of-boundless-vision-and-uns) for amplification rather than self-promotion. Matviichuk’s words in their interview serve as both warning and invitation: ‘Each day of delay results in the death of Ukrainian people.’ For women who value human stories, freedom and resilience, [Kimberlin’s work offers a way to engage](https://richwoman.co/article/pull-me-to-the-light-a-woman-giving-back-and-supporting-fellow-musicians) with these urgent realities through the power of cultural connection. The conversation she has started with one of Ukraine’s most important voices is just the beginning of what promises to be a deeply moving exploration of how ordinary people maintain hope and dignity in the face of [unthinkable circumstances](https://richwoman.co/article/lyrical-honesty-songs-for-real-life-s-challenges-rise-and-the-power-of-vulnerable-pop).