On May 2nd, 2025, Amb. (ret.) Michael Klecheski gave a lecture to the IAUNRC and audience members at Hamilton Lugar School about his time as the American ambassador to Mongolia. Amb. Klecheski presented on several lessons he learned from being the US Ambassador to Mongolia over a period of 4 years. The Ambassador said some difficult times he encountered during his tenure were the COVID 19 pandemic, and the Russian invasion into Ukraine. He said the US had to be careful in its diplomacy with Mongolia because Mongolia has to walk a fine line with its large, powerful neighbors to its north and south. The US strategy was to be the "kind third neighbor". The US, the Ambassador noted, is invested in Mongolian democracy because of Mongolia's authoritarian neighbors, especially as he saw that Mongolians themselves highly value their democracy. Ambassador Klecheski took 8 key lessons from his time as Ambassador: 1) that an American Ambassador's central responsibility is always American interests, 2) that American aid must reflect and support our interests, 3) the American Ambassador must understand their host country as deeply as possible, 4) that it is important to be persistent and creative to draw attention to one's embassy, 5) to seize every opportunity with other officials, 6) that it is important to keep a cool head about things, 7) it is important to work with like-minded allies, and 8) to always maintain team morale.
