UWC President meets with Church Hierarchs, the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Parliament, high-ranking government officials and civil society in Ukraine

On 23 August – 2 September 2017, in Kyiv and Lviv, Ukraine, Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij met with Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate Patriarch Filaret, Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), Chief Rabbi of Kyiv and Ukraine Yaakov Dov Bleich, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

During the meetings with Ukrainian governing authorities, particular attention was dedicated to advancing the national priorities of Ukraine within the international community, which are primarily related to the defence of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as the strengthening of sanctions against the Russian Federation until it fully complies with the Minsk agreements and de-occupies Crimea; reforms in Ukraine in the areas of health care, education and justice; the implementation of anti‑corruption measures; Ukraine’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration; countering Russian disinformation; and the protection of human rights of Ukrainians in Crimea, the occupied territories of the Donbas and the Russian Federation. The development of Ukrainian society on the basis of spiritual and moral values, the issuance of a Tomos of Autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate and the recognition of the Patriarchal status of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church were discussed with the Heads of the Churches.

During the meetings with ambassadors and diplomats from the G-7 countries and other states, the UWC President highlighted the reforms in Ukraine and emphasized the importance of uniting the international community to overcome Russian aggression.

The protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms was discussed with representatives of civil society.

During the meeting with the First Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Ivan Rusnak, UWC President Eugene Czolij and Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) President Paul Grod were awarded medals “For support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine”.

UWC Secretary General and President of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organizations Stefan Romaniw, UWC First Vice President and President of the European Congress of Ukrainians Jaroszlava Hartyanyi, UWC Vice President and UCC President Paul Grod, UWC Vice President and President of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America Andrew Futey, UWC Vice President Olena Koszarny, UWC Vice President Vira Konyk, UCC First Vice President Alexandra Chyczij, Director of the UWC Mission to Ukraine Serhiy Kasyanchuk and Director of the UWC Mission to International Organizations in Brussels Maryna Iaroshevych took part in individual meetings headed by UWC President Eugene Czolij.

“The multi-million strong Ukrainian diaspora headed by the Ukrainian World Congress will continue to actively support Ukraine in protecting its territorial integrity and its consolidation as a democratic, reformed and European state,” said UWC President Eugene Czolij.

While in Ukraine, the UWC President was interviewed by Channel 5, Radio Liberty, Public Radio, Channel 24 and Vesti Radio .

 

List of individuals with whom the UWC President met:

Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate Patriarch Filaret

Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk)

Chief Rabbi of Kyiv and Ukraine Yaakov Dov Bleich

President of UkrainePetro Poroshenko

Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman

Chairman of the Parliament of UkraineAndriyParubiy

First Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine Stepan Kubiv

Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin

Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko

Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine OleksandrTurchynov

Head of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau ArtemSytnyk

Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Lilia Hrynevych

Acting Minister of Health of Ukraine Ulana Suprun

Chairman of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Petro Tsyhykal

Chairperson of Ukraine’s Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs Hanna Hopkо

Chairperson of Ukraine’s Permanent Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in EuropeArtur Gerasymov

Head of the Representation of NATO in Ukraine, Director of the NATO Liaison Office Alexander Vinnikov

Special Representative of the United States for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker

Member of Lithuanian Parliament, Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs, Former Prime Minister of Lithuania Andrius Kubilius

First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of UkraineVadym Prystaiko

First Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Ivan Rusnak

Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine on European Integration Sergey Petukhov

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ukraine Ernst Wolfgang Reichel

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Ukraine Roman Waschuk

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Lithuanian Republic to Ukraine Marius Janukonis

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Poland to Ukraine Jan Pieklo

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Norway to Ukraine Ole Terje Horpestad

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belgium to Ukraine Luc Jacobs

Head of the Lviv Oblast State Administration Oleh Syniutka

Rector of Lviv Polytechnic National University Yuriy Bobalo

Director of the International Institute for Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations of the Lviv Polytechnic National University Iryna Kluchkovska

Chairperson of the Center for Civil Liberties Oleksandra Matviychuk

 

In the photo from left: E.Czolij and V. Groysman (Photo courtesy of official website of Government of Ukraine)

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