On 9-10 June 2015, a delegation of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) led by President Eugene Czolij met in Kyiv with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and high-ranking Ukrainian officials to discuss further cooperation between the UWC and Ukraine on strategic issues.
Discussions focused on the defence of the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, promotion of the interests of Ukraine in the international community, countering of Russian propaganda, Ukraine’s Euro-integration, humanitarian initiatives and a visa-free regime for Ukrainians.
The UWC President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin signed an Action Plan for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ukrainian World Congress in the framework of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Ukrainian World Congress from 28.08.2014.
The UWC delegation had the privilege of attending a ceremony during which President Petro Poroshenko honored the soldiers who courageously defended the Eastern border of Ukraine. Specifically, the President of Ukraine posthumously awarded with the highest merit, “Hero of Ukraine”, Commander Iwan Zubkov, who bravely stood his ground against the enemy during the attack on the Donetsk airport while saving the lives of his colleagues.
During the course of this visit the UWC President met with Patriarch Filaret, Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyivan Patriarchate to discuss the current situation in Ukraine, including in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Eugene Czolij also signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Maksym Urbanskyi, General Director of independent Ukrainian television broadcaster TVi, to broaden the reach of information about Ukraine in the international community.
Reforms in Ukraine and the process of Ukraine’s Euro-integration were the focus of a meeting between the UWC President and the Head of Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, Ambassador Jan Tombinski.
In a meeting with the President of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Andriy Meleshevych, Eugene Czolij discussed this year’s commemoration of the prestigious educational institution’s 400th anniversary.
The UWC delegation, led by President Eugene Czolij, included UWC Secretary General and President of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations Stefan Romaniw, UWC Vice President and President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Paul Grod, UWC Vice President Olena Koszarny, UWC Treasurer Zenon Potichny, Director of the UWC Mission to Ukraine Serhiy Kasyanchuk, UWC Director of Humanitarian Initiatives Dr. Ulana Suprun and UWC Liaison Officer in EU Maryna Yaroshevych.
In addition to the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, the UWC delegation met with the following high-ranking Ukrainian officials:
– Hopko Hanna, Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Ukraine
– Klimkin Pavlo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
– Kyrylenko Vyacheslav, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Culture of Ukraine
– Onyschenko Hanna, Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine
– Poltorak Stepan, Minister of Defense of Ukraine
– Stets Yurii, Minister of Information Policy of Ukraine.
Additional information on the visit is available on the UWC web site.
