Ukrainian World Congress Summit commences in Bucharest

The Ukrainian World Congress Summit commenced at the Parliament of Bucharest on April 12, drawing over 200 leaders and representatives from Ukrainian communities across 55 countries and five continents.

Dignitaries from the Ukrainian and Romanian governments, along with international experts, honorary guests, partners, supporters, and friends of the UWC, attended the opening ceremony. The opening remarks were delivered by Paul Grod, President of the Ukrainian World Congress; Mykola-Myroslav Petretskyi, UWC Vice President for Eastern Europe; Victor Opaschi, State Counselor – Office of the Prime Minister; Luminita-Teodora Odobescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania; Major General Gabriel Anghel, Advisor to the Minister of National Defense of Romania; Ihor Prokopchuk, Ambassador of Ukraine to Romania; Gavin Buchan, Ambassador of Canada to Romania; Mariana Betsa, the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Ukrainian Community at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Today, there are many challenges, and we must think about how to organize life – to unite the global Ukrainian community around Ukraine. Our main task is to ensure that Ukrainians who have been forced to leave can integrate into the Ukrainian environment and the Ukrainian world abroad,” stressed Paul Grod, President of the Ukrainian World Congress.

This event is a significant opportunity for the Ukrainian World Congress to forge new relationships, expand strategic partnerships, and further its proactive efforts to secure Ukraine’s Victory and advance the global Ukrainian community.

“We must agree on strategic responses to the historical challenges facing Ukraine and the global Ukrainian community,” noted Mykola-Myroslav Petretskyi, opening the event in the Romanian Parliament.

“The voices calling for an end to the war and for sitting down at the negotiating table are heard, but they fail to consider the immense losses caused by the war. Ukraine cannot settle for a peace where the sacrifices of the Ukrainian people would be in vain – a peace proposed by Russia,” emphasized Luminița Odobescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania.

The Summit includes panel discussions focused on the main directions of the Ukrainian World Congress’s activities, aiming to inject fresh momentum into developing various UWC organizations, initiatives, councils, and commissions.

The summit is set to continue until April 15. Updates will be available on the UWC’s website and Facebook page.