"I would like to thank the Paul Klebnikov Fund for awarding me the Integrity in Journalism Fellowship, a great honor for a journalist working as an editorial page editor in Russia. The trip to the U.S. organized for me by the Fund in May 2007 was an exciting and inspiring experience.

The fellowship has given me a rare opportunity to meet opinion leaders and scholars whose knowledge and expertise I had always valued. Of all other meetings I am especially grateful for the opportunity to meet Dr. James Billington, director of the Library of Congress, with whom we had a fascinating talk in his office.

The discussions I had in New York and Washington have enhanced my understanding of the current political and economic trends and the state of the U.S.-Russia dialogue. I also had a chance to share my thinking with American experts on Russia during the speaking dinner at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington.

A round-table talk with top investors operating on the Russian market has provided me with insights from Americans who have a stake in Russia's future. I enjoyed exchanging ideas with people who represented a wide range of views on today's Russia.

Meetings and talks like these are even more important now than during the 90s. With U.S. - Russia official relations deteriorating it's crucial that the dialogue develops on the non-governmental level. The Paul Klebnikov Fund's fellowship program and continued effort to forge contacts between experts and media professionals is an invaluable contribution to this cause."

- Maxim Trudolyubov