Ruslan Bortnik is a prominent Ukrainian political scientist and expert, currently serving as the Director of the Ukrainian Institute of Politics. He was recognized as Ukraine’s "Best Political Expert" in 2020 and placed third in the "Political Scientist" category in 2020 and 2021 by the Association of Professional Political Consultants of Ukraine. His expertise includes state-building, foreign policy, political movements, and democratization. Bortnik’s insights have been featured in major media outlets like Los Angeles Times, HuffPost, and Voice of America, and he regularly appears on Ukrainian TV and radio.