STOCKHOLM – Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Paul Grod met with Swedish members of parliament on Nov. 22 to thank their government’s support of Ukraine and stress the importance of further assisting Kyiv as the battered country withstands an all-out Russian invasion that is in its third year.
As part of his official 10-day trip to four northern European countries, Grod’s Swedish meeting was staged by Helena Lindahl, a member of parliament who invited colleagues from various political parties to discuss key issues concerning Ukraine’s support.
Attendees from four of Sweden’s major political parties met with Grod.
This meeting marked an important step in deepening the partnership between Ukraine and Sweden, as well as discussing strategic initiatives to support the Ukrainian people.
The UWC delegation included Oleksandra Tershak Gustavsson, Chairwoman of the Ukrainian Community in Gothenburg; Viktor Ivan-Gustavsson, a member of the same community, Julia Alexandersson, head of the More Mosaic organization, and Mykola Dvornik, a board member of the Ukrainian Community in Gothenburg (Ukrainska Sällskapet i Göteborg).
In his address, Grod expressed gratitude to the Swedish people and government for their support of Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees.
He urged Swedish lawmakers to continue their assistance, stressing several key issues: taking part in the Danish initiative to procure weapons for Ukraine, the recognition of the Holodomor as a genocide against the Ukrainian people, the potential impact of the U.S. presidential election on support support, NATO integration, and the creation of a support alliance involving the three Baltic states, Scandinavia, Poland, and Britain.
Grod met with Martin Ådahl, a member of parliament and Secretary for Economic Affairs of Sweden’s Center Party, who has been advocating for the recognition of the Holodomor as genocide and recently submitted a petition to the legislature on the matter.
During a meeting with volunteers on Nov. 21, Grod also emphasized that Ukraine’s victory is the only solution to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that Russia has wrought on the country. He also underscored the importance of efficiently using financial resources.
Among other initiatives, Grod proposed involving U.S. and Canadian donors to work with Swedish volunteer organizations and creating a registry of these organizations along with a coordination council.
At a separate meeting with the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Grod called for stronger efforts to counter the evasion of sanctions, increased protection of Ukraine’s airspace, and the official recognition of the Holodomor as a genocide.
Torbjörn Sohlström, Director General and Head of the Euro-Atlantic and Security Policy Department at the Swedish Foreign Ministry, confirmed Sweden’s support for Ukraine’s EU and NATO membership, although he noted that membership to the Alliance is currently hindered by a lack of consensus among member countries.
Earlier in the trip, Grod addressed the Danish Parliament’s Foreign Policy Committee, met with the Danish Defense Minister, and held talks with Norwegian lawmakers.
The public diplomacy mission’s purpose is to strengthen Ukraine’s support, address the challenges faced by Ukrainian refugees, and raise awareness of critical humanitarian and historical issues.
