Daria Synelnykova

Daria is a Junior Research Fellow at the NATO Association of Canada. She works within the Security, Trade, and Economy program. Daria specializes in NATO countries’ trade with Russia post the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its implications for the strength of the Euro-Atlantic alliance. Daria is a rising third-year student at the University of Toronto, where she studies International Relations and Peace, Conflict and Justice. Daria also serves as a global health research assistant at the Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. She has previously interned at the United Nations with the Office of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons.

Previous Events

A NATO Success Story: Kosovo’s Liberation and Post-Conflict Statebuilding

On June 18, the NATO Association of Canada (NAOC), in partnership with the Consulate General of the Republic of Kosovo in Toronto, organized an event marking the 26th anniversary of Kosovo’s Liberation. This publication features an event summary and reflects on the enduring significance of NATO’s successful mission in Kosovo.

Security, Trade and the Economy

The U.S.-Ukraine Mineral Deal: Economic Commitment and America’s Stake in the Euro-Atlantic Future

This article analyzes the U.S.-Ukraine mineral deal – a diplomatic success for Ukraine that nonetheless signals a transition to a more restrained U.S. approach to global defense. It argues that other NATO members must step up to safeguard collective security and work toward fostering mutually beneficial economic cooperation within the alliance.

Daria Synelnykova Security, Trade and the Economy

Playing the Cards Right: Ukraine’s Tech Edge is NATO’s Strategic Opportunity

Ukraine’s innovative technological defence sector is crucial in enabling resistance against Russian aggression. Its affordable, AI-powered, and battlefield-tested technology is redefining the future of warfare. Canada and other NATO members should foster partnerships with Ukrainian businesses to both provide economic resources for Ukraine’s war effort and to safeguard the competitiveness of their own defence industries