President Zelensky meets with representatives of world’s Jewish community

The relevant statement was made by the Office of the President of Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

In particular, the former Soviet political prisoner, minister and deputy prime minister in the governments of Israel, chairman of the executive board of the Jewish Agency for Israel Natan Sharansky took part in the meeting. President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder, ex-U.S. Senator from Connecticut Joe Lieberman, Chief Rabbi of Kyiv, President of the Union of Jewish Religious Organizations of Ukraine Yaakov Dov Bleich also participated in the meeting via a video link.

Zelensky thanked the meeting participants for their constant attention and support for Ukraine, especially in the current challenging time.

“Your voice sounds weighty and always matters to public opinion. Therefore, I ask you to continue to spread the truth about the terror that Russia has brought and about the help we need,” Zelensky said.

According to the President of Ukraine, the people of Ukraine and Israel have a lot in common. They are united by historical memory, including the tragic pages of history, as well as the desire to guarantee security for people and their states. Therefore, today, at the time of heinous Russian aggression, Ukraine hopes for more decisive support from the State of Israel.

“Today we are fighting such a heinous phenomenon as rashism, and it cannot be overcome without a united position of the free democratic world. If Israel does not give a clear political assessment of the Russian Federation, new phenomena such as the alliance between Russia and Iran will emerge. They have already launched hundreds of Iranian Shahed kamikaze drones against us. Then we will fight against it post factum with the whole world,” Zelensky noted, emphasizing the need to act more decisively and in unity as soon as now.

Natan Sharansky expressed solidarity with the heroic struggle of the Ukrainian people, who are now defending their future and the future of the entire free world. Hence, it is the duty of all democratic countries without exception to support this struggle.

In his words, this is why the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center is implementing a project to collect the evidence of crimes against humanity on the territory of Ukraine.

According to Zelensky, at this time it is extremely important to pay even more attention to the protection of historical memory and informing about the conclusions humanity has drawn from the large-scale tragedies of the 20th century.

In this context, the parties discussed the continuation of the construction project of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center.

“We have not forgotten and must implement this project. But, for this purpose, we have to defend our state today,” the President of Ukraine added.

Zelensky thanked the supervisory board of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center and everyone involved in the continuation of work on the project.

Natan Sharansky, as the head of the supervisory board of the Memorial Center, stressed the importance of remembering all the lessons of the Holocaust and preserving the memory of the heroism of Ukrainians.

Former U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman thanked Volodymyr Zelensky for supporting the Babyn Yar Foundation.

“From the very beginning, we understood that it should be not just a museum in Kyiv, but such a living institution that would be engaged in advocacy and defense of rights considering what is happening in the world today,” he said.

President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder noted that today the main question for American society, for American Jews, is what they can do to help Ukraine, in particular, in the matter of preserving the memory of Babyn Yar.

“We are willing to work with the Ukrainian state, defend its interests to provide greater and faster support to your government and your army,” Lauder said.

Member of the supervisory board of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center, businessman Viktor Pinchuk mentioned that, unfortunately, today the world has witnessed a new genocide – in relation to the Ukrainian people. Hence, these crimes must be recorded, and civilized countries, in particular Israel, must help Ukraine stop this genocide and terrorism.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

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