On 29 November – 1 December 2017, Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij fulfilled a working visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, during which he discussed current Ukrainian issues and the means of continued cooperation with high-ranking religious and state leaders of Ukraine, representatives of the international community, diplomats of various states and representatives of Ukrainian civil society.
The UWC President devoted particular attention during meetings with governing authorities to the coordination of further efforts by Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora led by the UWC in combatting the hybrid war of the Russian Federation and the defence of the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Discussed was the need for the international community to strengthen sanctions against the Russian Federation until it fully complies with the Minsk agreements and de-occupies Crimea, and to deploy a UN peacekeeping mission to Eastern Ukraine and an OSCE monitoring mission to illegally occupied Crimea. Also discussed was the need to urge European countries to adopt a Magnitsky Law that would contribute to lessening human rights violations. Highlighted was the importance of providing Ukraine with an investment package similar to the Marshall Plan to overcome the devastation caused by Russian military aggression and assist Ukraine with its economic growth and continued reforms. Eugene Czolij also had the opportunity to discuss the processes of European and Euro-Atlantic integration, as well as reforms in various spheres, including efforts to reduce the level of corruption and advance the progressive changes in the healthcare and education systems, and address the concerns of some countries regarding the Law of Ukraine “On Education.” Another common issue was the joint commemoration in 2018 in Ukraine and throughout the Ukrainian diaspora of the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor of 1932-33.
Eugene Czolij discussed separately with the Ambassador of Hungary to Ukraine Ernő Keskenyand Head of the Hungarian Cultural Association Zakarpattia and Member of Parliament of Ukraine Vasyl Brenzovych Article 7 of the Law of Ukraine “On Education” dealing with regional and minority languages.
The UWC President was accompanied to the meetings by Director of the UWC Mission in Ukraine Serhiy Kasyanchuk and Director of the UWC Mission to International Organizations in Brussels Maryna Iaroshevych.
“The meetings in Ukraine were productive, contributing to the development of concrete plans to advance topical Ukrainian issues on the international level,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.
Visit official web portals for more information on the meetings of the UWC President with the Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate, Chair of the Parliament of Ukraine, Minister of Defence of Ukraine and Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Parliament of Ukraine.
List of individuals with whom the UWC President met:
Blonde Piet, Acting Leader of the Political Section, Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine
Bodnarchuk Volodymyr, Representative of the Civic Union “Family of Nebesna Sotnia Heroes”
Brenzovych Vasyl, Member of Parliament of Ukraine and Head of the Hungarian Cultural Association Zakarpattia (via teleconference)
Chekryhin Volodymyr, Expert of the Crimean Human Rights Group
Enberg Martin, Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in charge of the coordination of co-operation programs in Ukraine
Patriarch Filaret, Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate
Herasymov Artur, Head of the Permanent Delegation of Ukraine to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization of Security and Co-operation in Europe
Holodniuk Volodymyr, Representative of the Civic Union “Family of Nebesna Sotnia Heroes”
Hopko Hanna, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Ukraine
Hrynevych Lilia, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine (via teleconference)
Keskeny Ernő, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Hungary to Ukraine
Klimkin Pavlo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
Klymko Olha, Representative of the Civic Union “Family of Nebesna Sotnia Heroes”
Klympush-Tsintsadze Ivanna, Vice Prime Minister for the European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine
Kubilius Andrius, Member of Lithuanian Parliament, Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs and Former Prime Minister of Lithuania
Kubiv Stepan, First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economic Development
Malige Francis, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Managing Director for Eastern Ukraine and the Caucausus
Parubiy Andriy, Chair of the Parliament of Ukraine
Pieklo Jan, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Poland to Ukraine
Poltorak Stepan, Minister of Defence of Ukraine
Le Rigolior Christopher, Acting Head of Mission of the Embassy of France in Ukraine
Skrypnyk Olha, Coordinator of the Crimean Human Rights Group
Stets Yurii, Minister of Information Policy of Ukraine
Dr. Suprun Ulana, Acting Minister of Health of Ukraine
Viatrovych Volodymyr, Director of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance
Waschuk Roman, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Canada to Ukraine
Waskowycz Andrij, President of the International Charitable Fund Caritas Ukraine
Yeliseyev Kostiantyn, Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of Ukraine
Yovanovitch Marie, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the United States to Ukraine
Zhdanov Ihor, Minister of Youth and Sport of Ukraine
Мeeting with the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
From left to right: I. Karmelyuk, B. Kolisnychenko, A. Parubiy, T. Podolska, A. Kovalev, S. Kasyanchuk, E. Czolij and M. Yaroshevych
