James Black Joins Delegation to Ukraine with RDI: Frontline Perspectives on War, Resilience, and Humanitarian Need

FRB General Counsel and Corporate and Securities Partner James M. Black II recently returned from Ukraine after joining a VIP delegation organized by the Renew Democracy Initiative (RDI). The eight-day trip took Jim and the rest of the RDI team to Kyiv and Kharkiv for an intensive, on-the-ground look at the war's political, military, and humanitarian dimensions through meetings with national and local leaders, site visits, policy dialogue, business exploration, and direct humanitarian engagement. With more than 35 years of experience advising on corporate and government compliance, government contracts, and trade regulation, Jim was well-positioned to assess the legal, regulatory, and operational challenges throughout the trip. 

Led by RDI's CEO, Uriel Epshtein, the delegation held high-level discussions with senior Ukrainian leaders, including Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin, Deputy Ministers of Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine Oleskii Riabykine and Andrii Kashuba, as well as members of the Ukrainian Parliament. They also met human rights activists, leaders of the defense industry, and many private citizens who are just fighting every day to survive. The team also visited The American Chamber of Commerce – Ukraine, the Kyiv School of Economics and a leading media company.   

One of the most moving visits was to an underground school where children were still able to learn in safety. On the day the delegation visited, the team observed high school students at a college entrance exam prep class, and a class of toddlers singing Bella Ciao. Even in war, life goes on.    

The delegation had the opportunity to visit a military training facility, manufacturing plants and an active drone brigade, offering firsthand views of the country's wartime resilience and innovation. 

Topics discussed ranged from the current political and military landscape, to post-war economic development, educational challenges, and basic humanitarian needs.

Humanitarian engagement was a central thread throughout the trip. RDI's initiatives across Ukraine include providing MREs, medical supplies, water filtration systems, sleeping bags, generators, bulletproof vests, and other critical aid, and the delegation visited RDI grantees and supported aid distribution efforts on the ground. 

Among Jim’s clearest takeaways were the extent to which drones have reshaped the nature of the conflict. Through meetings with front-line drone brigades, drone manufacturers, and other industries, he witnessed how central unmanned technology has become to both offensive and defensive operations. Yet even amid that reality, ordinary life persists under extraordinary pressure. In cities living under constant threat, hospitals still treat patients, schools still hold classes, and communities continue to move forward with remarkable determination. 

The trip also brought the scale of the humanitarian crisis into sharp focus. Jim observed the devastating impact of Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure and heard troubling accounts of between 20,000 and 30,000 Ukrainian children taken from occupied territories and separated from their families, their Ukrainian identities erased and placed in Russian homes. Those conversations, paired with what he witnessed on the ground, underscored that the consequences of this war extend far beyond the battlefield. 

For Jim, the trip’s greatest value lay in seeing these realities directly rather than through newspaper headlines or video clips. His observations offered a clearer picture of how the conflict is evolving, how humanitarian organizations are responding under pressure, and how much credible, firsthand reporting still matters. His experience will continue to inform FRB’s work around accountability, humanitarian engagement, and the role that thoughtful oversight can play in high-risk environments. 

The trip also reinforced Jim’s conviction that nonprofits operating in conflict zones and other high-risk environments face unique compliance challenges that demand specialized guidance. From navigating sanctions regimes and export controls to ensuring that donated funds and supplies reach their intended recipients, organizations like RDI must maintain rigorous accountability at every stage.  

Read more about RDI's support for Ukraine here: https://rdi.org/ukraine/ 

FRB's compliance and impact validation practice is designed to help nonprofits meet those demands, offering tailored advisory services that cover regulatory compliance, grant oversight, internal controls, and transparent reporting. By pairing legal expertise with real-world understanding of how humanitarian operations function on the ground, FRB helps mission-driven organizations demonstrate measurable impact while safeguarding against the legal and reputational risks inherent in complex operating environments. 

If your organization is engaged in humanitarian work, operating in high-risk regions, or seeking to strengthen its compliance and impact reporting frameworks, FRB can help. Contact us to learn how we can support your mission with the oversight and accountability it deserves.