Below are text of statements received from U.S. political leaders and presidential hopefuls on the occasion of the dedication of Holodomor Memorial in Washington. (They are reprinted here in alphabetical order.)
George W. Bush
Greetings to those gathered in Washington, D.C., for the dedication of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide (Holodomor) Memorial. In 2006, I signed legislation that secured land for this special place of remembrance. Today’s ceremony marks an important milestone for which you and others can be proud.
The late scholar Robert Conquest published his definitive account of this period in Ukrainian history in order to “register in the public consciousness of the West a knowledge of and feeling for major events, involving millions of people and millions of deaths.” Such a scale of human suffering is hard to comprehend. The memorial that you dedicate today provides further assurance that generations to come will remember those who were starved at the hands of Joseph Stalin’s tyranny.
Over their history, the people of Ukraine have endured difficult times for the sake of liberty, prosperity and peace. I admire their resiliency and their steadfast support for democratic values and principles. Many Americans have watched with amazement how this country became a democracy. We strongly support your democracy and remain optimistic that generations to come will know the blessings of liberty.
Laura and I send our best wishes for a memorable and meaningful ceremony. May God bless you.
Jeb Bush
On this solemn occasion of the dedication of the Ukrainian Holodomor Memorial, we honor the memory of the millions of Ukrainians who perished in a famine caused by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. This was a horrific period in Ukrainian and European history. This memorial will remind future generations not only of the tremendous suffering endured by Ukraine, but also of the moral depravity and unconstrained brutality of the evil empire of the Soviet Union, and the lengths to which Soviet rulers would go to subjugate its Captive Nations. These victims of the struggle against Soviet totalitarianism will live forever in our memories.
This reminder of Soviet aggression is an especially poignant counterpoint to the revisionist propaganda of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who unabashedly proclaims his nostalgia for a whitewashed version of the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, it is not only history that Putin seeks to revise, but the very borders of Ukraine and Europe. It is past time for the free nations of the world to resist Putin’s illegal invasion and annexation of Crimea, his continued aggression in eastern Ukraine and his efforts to expand Russia’s hegemonic influence elsewhere.
Today, Moscow’s aggression threatens not only Ukraine, but Europe, the United States and the very international order and peace our parents and grandparents gave so much to build. Allowing Putin to act with impunity will only embolden him and other despots who seek to subjugate their citizens and neighbors.
May this Memorial, steps from the United States Capitol, remind all who pass it of the terrible dangers of failing to stand up to those who threaten peace and freedom before it is too late.
Hillary Rodham Clinton
While I regret that I am unable to be with you in Washington, D.C., I am sending my warmest greetings to everyone gathered and want to thank all those who made this day possible.
The monument you unveil today will stand as an enduring memorial to the millions of brave Ukrainians who perished during the winter and spring of 1932 and 1933 as Stalin’s regime ruthlessly stole the wheat and crops of hardworking farmers. In those terrible months, millions starved to death, villages were destroyed, and families disappeared. As you know, the Holodomor means “death by hunger” in Ukrainian; it’s a hauntingly simple name to describe such a barbaric act of hate and oppression.
Many in Ukraine and here in the United States have long waited for today, and I am so heartened to know that for years to come, visitors to our nation’s capital will stop here, stare into the disappearing wheat, and learn about the lives that were lost in the Holodomor. This monument honors the memory of those lives and stands as a testament to the bonds of friendship between the United States and Ukraine. It is also a tribute to the strength and resilience of Ukrainians who are today once again fighting for their nation’s future, and who believe so strongly in the promise of peace. The United States has a duty to stand with them, to help the Ukrainian government defend its sovereignty and maintain their democratic institutions, and to ensure that all Ukrainians face a brighter and more promising future with limitless opportunities.
I am delighted that my good friend, Melanne Verveer, is present for this important occasion and I look forward to visiting this memorial in person. In the meantime, please know you have my best wishes for a memorable event.
Rep. Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.)
Thank you for conveying to me the gracious invitation from the Embassy of Ukraine to participate in the dedication ceremony of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide (Holodomor) Memorial in Washington, D.C., on November 7. I truly regret that I will be unable to attend as I will be on official travel honoring a longstanding commitment in California.
As you know, I am proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with you in the latest fight to protect the freedom of Ukraine and its people. But this Memorial, located on U.S. federal ground in Washington in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol, will serve as an eternal tribute to the millions of Ukrainians who were forcibly starved to death in Ukraine by Josef Stalin. History reminds us that only by understanding the genocides of the past can we hope to prevent others from occurring.
Please know that I will be with you in spirit on November 7!
Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.)
More than 80 years ago, millions of Ukrainians died at the hands of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin’s punitive attempt to crush Ukrainian nationalism and force compliance with the Soviet Union’s arcane agricultural policies. I join the Ukrainian community in honoring those who died under the brutal rule of Stalin’s regime. Their memory is forever enshrined in the Holodomor Memorial that was dedicated today in Washington, D.C., just steps away from the U.S. Capitol.
Once again, the Ukrainian people are in the midst of an assault on their nationalism and right to self-determination at the hands of an authoritarian regime in Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has exerted every effort to undermine an independent and sovereign Ukraine. Russian forces continue to fuel a war in the east that has resulted in the deaths of more than 6,000 people, while his troops illegally occupy Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. In these difficult times, it is important for the United States to stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)
I stand in solidarity with all Ukrainian Americans, fellow friends of Ukraine worldwide, and the Ukrainian Government on the opening of the Holodomor Memorial in Washington, D.C., today. It will stand as a permanent remembrance of the famine, atrocities and suffering experienced by the people of Ukraine at the hands of the totalitarian Soviet Government in 1932 and 1933. Today’s ceremony also serves as a reminder of the critical support that we must provide to the people of Ukraine today to fulfill their democratic aspirations in the face of new aggression, as well as our obligation to advance the cause of human freedoms around the globe and prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.)
Thank you for the invitation to attend the dedication of the National Ukrainian Genocide Memorial in Washington, DC. I am sorry that my schedule does not permit me to join you at this important event, remembering the millions of Ukrainian victims of Stalin’s brutal 1932-1933 campaign of mass starvation.
How appropriate that this monument shows a field of mature wheat – as this crime against humanity was perpetrated in what was the breadbasket of Europe. For so many to starve to death in a land of agricultural plenty magnifies the unspeakable horror of Stalin’s ‘death by hunger’ campaign.
If we, as a community of civilized nations, hope to build a world of peace, mutual respect and security, we must confront the great man-made catastrophes of our past. This monument here in our nation’s capital is an important step toward doing just that – by remembering one of the darkest periods in Ukrainian history.
It is disheartening to say the least to have the current unrest in Ukraine be the backdrop for today’s dedication. The Russian military’s illegal occupation of the Crimean peninsula and its flagrant materiel support for separatists fighting in the eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk has already cost more than 8,000 lives, destroyed whole towns, and is spawning a humanitarian crisis in Europe. It is imperative that the United States and European allies work to de-escalate the conflict and Russian aggression. Thank you again for the invitation, and congratulations on completing this important monument.