TORONTO – The president of the Ukrainian World Congress, Eugene Czolij, in late June and July continued his visits to European countries, where me met with leading government officials and visited with Ukrainian diaspora communities. Mr. Czolij was accompanied on most of his visits by the director of the UWC Mission to International Organizations in Brussels Maryna Iaroshevych.
On July 7-10, he traveled on a working visit to Berlin, where he raised important Ukrainian issues during speaking engagements at side events held in the Bundestag within the framework of the 27th session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). He also met with high-ranking German officials, members of national delegations to the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE, diplomats and the Ukrainian community.
On July 8, during his address to the session titled “Environmental Assessment and Recovery Priorities for Eastern Ukraine,” Mr. Czolij reminded participants that, as a result of the hybrid aggression of the Russian Federation, the Donbas ranks third in the world among territories most contaminated with mines and explosive materials. He emphasized that the presence of mines and unexploded ordnances is the main cause of death and injuries among the civilian population, noting that 1.9 million people are affected by mines and unexploded ordnances, and that from April 2014 to the end of 2017 there were 2,558 civilian victims of surface mines, including 242 children. Citing Ukrainian authorities, he said it would take approximately 40 years to clean up the territory.
He also drew attention to the fact that the flooding of mines pollutes the underground water with heavy metals, and referring to U.N. statistics, said that during the two months of March and April alone 25 incidents negatively impacted hygiene and water purity, and water supplies for millions of residents were interrupted 10 times. In addition, Mr. Czolij noted that, as a result of shelling in the Donbas, almost 60 nature reserves have been damaged. He continued by noting that the military actions of the Russian Federation in the Donbas have seriously damaged civilian infrastructure and it is very difficult to do any repairs in the line of active fire.
On July 9, addressing the session titled “Nord Stream 2 and the Impact on the OSCE Member States,” Mr. Czolij highlighted the critical importance of stopping construction of that gas pipeline. He focused attention on the negative effects of this project for both Ukraine and the European Union, pointing to Russia’s use of gas as a political weapon against various countries. Mr. Czolij asserted that the Nord Stream 2 project is advantageous only for Russia.
In Germany, the Ukrainian World Congress president meets with the Ukrainian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
During various meetings with German officials and delegations to the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE, the UWC president emphasized the breadth of the hybrid aggression against Ukraine on the part of the Russian Federation and provided examples of interference by the Kremlin in democratic processes around the world. He also called for the creation of conditions that will enable the deployment of United Nations peacekeeping mission to the Donbas and an OSCE monitoring mission to illegally occupied Crimea. In addition, Mr. Czolij highlighted the need to strengthen counteractions to Russia’s worldwide disinformation campaign.
Several days later, the UWC issued a statement welcoming the Berlin Declaration and resolutions adopted by the OSCE PA at its 27th annual session. The UWC particularly lauded the Resolution on Ongoing Violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol (Ukraine) that was initiated by the Ukrainian Delegation to the OSCE PA and constitutes an integral part of the Berlin Declaration.
“The Berlin Declaration condemned the blatant violation by the Russian Federation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the basic human rights of Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars. The UWC will continue to work with the OSCE PA to ensure that fundamental freedoms are respected by all OSCE participating states, including the Russian Federation,” stated UWC President Czolij.
On July 8, the UWC leader attended divine liturgy at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, after which he addressed the Ukrainian community, presenting an overview of current events in Ukraine and the main priorities of the UWC in support of Ukraine.
That day, he also joined an action in defense of Ukrainian political prisoners being held by Russia, in particular filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, that was staged in front of the Bundestag by Ukrainian activists in Berlin.
While in Germany, the UWC president was accompanied by the president of the Union of Ukrainian Organizations in Germany, Lesya Shramko.
A visit to Italy and the Vatican
On July 4-6, the UWC president was on a working visit to Rome, where he thanked Italy for its support of Ukraine within the European Union (EU), including the signing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and drew attention to its positive effects. He highlighted the significant reforms in Ukraine that are being realized against the backdrop of the hybrid aggression of the Russian Federation. Mr. Czolij emphasized the breadth of this aggression and the serious threat it poses for the entire international community, including Italy. In view of this, he said that the recent statement by the new prime minister of Italy, Giuseppe Conte, suggesting that the Russian Federation be reinstated in the Group of Eight was very problematic.
Eugene Czolij with Ukraine’s Ambassador to Italy Yevhen Perelygin.
Questions about current events in Ukraine and the priorities of the UWC in support of Ukraine were addressed by Mr. Czolij during meetings with the Ambassador of Ukraine in Italy and the Ukrainian community. The UWC president also familiarized himself with the specifics of Ukrainian community life in Italy and discussed how that community could best continue cooperation with the UWC.
Mr. Czolij also visited the Vatican and during his meetings spoke in support of recognition of the patriarchal status of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church.
During a meeting with the prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches of the Roman Curia, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the UWC president thanked the Vatican for recognizing the Holodomor as a genocide of the Ukrainian people and for supporting Ukraine, including in the framework of the humanitarian project initiated by Pope Francis, called The Pope for Ukraine.
In St. Peter’s Basilica in front of the mosaics of Ss. Volodymyr and Olha (from left) are: Maryna Iaroshevych, Eugene Czolij, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Holy See Tetiana Izhevska and Viktoriia Zherobkina, the embassy’s second secretary.
Mr. Czolij also spoke of a statement made by Pope Francis during a recent meeting with a delegation from the Moscow Patriarchate and emphasized the importance of the issuance of a Tomos of Autocephaly by the ecumenical patriarch to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The UWC president discussed relations between the Vatican and Ukraine with Ukraine’s Ambassador to the Holy See Tetiana Izhevska.
Mr. Czolij also visited St. Peter’s Basilica and prayed at the mosaics of Ss. Volodymyr and Olha and Ss. Cyril and Methodius, and near the remains of St. Josaphat.
Israel also on itinerary
On June 30-3 July 3, Mr. Czolij traveled to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to discuss current Ukrainian issues with the Greek-Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem and high-ranking officials of Israel. He also met with the Ukrainian community.
At a meeting with Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, Mr. Czolij encourage him to support the issuance of a Tomos of Autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
During meetings with high-ranking officials, he called upon Israel to support Ukraine in the defense of its territorial integrity. He also urged officials to finalize the signing and implementation of a free trade agreement between Ukraine and Israel for the benefit of both countries. In addition, the UWC president discussed recent allegations about a rise in anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial in Ukraine, underscoring that such allegations are unfounded.
Separately, he noted this year’s 85th anniversary of the Holodomor in Ukraine and called on Israel to participate in commemorations and recognize the Holodomor as a genocide of the Ukrainian people, following the lead of 17 countries.
As regards the work of the Ukrainian community in Israel, the UWC president met with: Israeli Friends of Ukraine, led by co-Chair Viacheslav Feldman; the leadership of the All-Israeli Association of Emigres from Ukraine, including Chair David Levin and members Valentina Chaikovska and Mila Fleitman; and the director of the Israeli Folklore Theater Lena Jeiko. Mr. Czolij also had a separate public meeting with Ukrainians of Israel. These meetings offered an opportunity to discuss closer ties and cooperation with the UWC in furthering common interests.
Mr. Czolij also met with Ukraine’s Ambassador to Israel Hennadii Nadolenko; he presented current UWC priorities and discussed the status of Ukraine-Israel bilateral cooperation.
While in Israel, the UWC president visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.
Meetings in Luxembourg
While in Luxembourg on June 29, Mr. Czolij met with Member of Parliament Marc Angel, chairman of the Foreign and European Affairs Committee, and Ukraine’s Honorary Consul in Luxembourg Claude Radoux. During these meetings he called upon Luxembourg to continue supporting Ukraine in the defense of its territorial integrity.
UWC
In Luxembourg, (from left) are: the deputy director of the UWC Mission to International Organizations in Brussels, Dmytro Panchuk, Member of Parliament Marc Angel, and UWC President Eugene Czolij.
The UWC leader acknowledged the recent extension by the European Union of sanctions against the Russian Federation and stated they should be further strengthened due to gross violations by the Russia of the Minsk agreements.
He also informed his interlocutors about the latest significant reforms in Ukraine, emphasized the need to present an objective analysis during the EU-Ukraine Summit scheduled for July 9, and urged Luxem-bourg to continue supporting Ukraine’s integration with Europe.
The UWC president was accompanied during the trip by the deputy director of the UWC Mission to International Organizations in Brussels, Dmytro Panchuk.
A conference in Brussels
On June 28, UWC President Czolij addressed the conference “Making Peace in Donbas: The Role of a Peacekeeping Mission,” which took place in the European Parliament in Brussels. He also had the opportunity to meet with high-ranking officials of the EU, the OSCE and Ukraine with the aim of promoting the international community’s continued support for Ukraine.
As a panelist during the session “Creating a Viable Peacekeeping Force,” Mr. Czolij began his presentation by reminding his audience of the consequences of Russia’s military actions in the Donbas, including over 11,000 deaths, 25,000 injured, and the internal displacement of over 1.5 million residents. He also underlined that, since the start of the war, over 2,500 people have been victims of exploding landmines and 1.9 million live on territories littered with landmines. In addition, 3.4 million people currently require humanitarian assistance, 2.2 million need health care and 1.2 million require food aid. The war has affected the lives of 4.4 million people in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.
He emphasized the importance of ending the Russian aggression as swiftly as possible, which is in the best interest of not only Ukraine, but also the international community since Ukraine is, in fact, preventing the further advance of Russian aggression to the West.
The conference, organized by the Atlantic Council jointly with European Parliament groups, was attended by representatives of the European Union, civil society and the mass media.
In various meetings with top European officials, Mr. Czolij focused attention also on the danger of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project and highlighted the importance of presenting during the upcoming EU-Ukraine summit an objective analysis of the latest significant reforms in Ukraine.
Working visit to Denmark
On June 26-27, Mr. Czolij, on the invitation of Lastivka Ukrainian Youth Organization of Denmark (a member organization of the UWC), was on a working visit to Copenhagen, where he discussed important Ukrainian issues with high-ranking officials of Denmark, representatives of civil society and the local Ukrainian community, and also participated in the Second International Ukraine Reform Conference: A Driver for Change.
During a meeting with the Ukrainian community in Denmark: Father Vasyl Tykhovych (third from left), Eugene Czolij (fifth from left), Mariya Padovska (sixth from right) and Lesya Rykhalska (fifth from right).
During his meetings, the UWC president thanked Denmark for supporting Ukraine in the defense of its territorial integrity, and also recognized its valuable support in the framework of the five-year program of the Eastern Partnership and for furthering reforms in Ukraine. Mr. Czolij emphasized that the Russian Federation continues its military actions in eastern Ukraine, grossly violates the human rights of Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars, and wages a widespread disinformation campaign. `He pointed to the threat of Russian hybrid aggression and drew attention to last year’s significant Russian cyberattacks on the Ministry of Defense of Denmark and the Danish shipping company Maersk. In this context, he discussed the value of cooperation between Ukrainian and Danish programmers to combat Russian cyberattacks.
Separately, he shared information on the latest major reforms in Ukraine, including the adoption of the law establishing the anti-corruption court. In relation to this, he noted the effort of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the joint organization with Ukraine on June 27 of the Second International Ukraine Reform Conference aimed at familiarizing the international community with Ukraine’s accomplishments in implementing systemic reforms and determining the direction of future cooperation and practical assistance for Ukraine on this path. Mr. Czolij urged Denmark to showcase the successes of 70 Danish companies currently operating in Lviv.
The conference attracted high-ranking officials from 40 countries and representatives of international organizations and civil society. A speaker on one of the conference panels was Olena Koszarny, UWC vice-president and chair of the UWC Committee for the Economic Development of Ukraine.
On that day, Mr. Czolij joined Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman in laying flowers at the monument to Taras Shevchenko. He learned about the Ukrainian community of Denmark during a meeting with the community at large, as well as another meeting with the president of Lastivka, Mariya Padovska, and the director of the Lastivka Ukrainian Saturday School in Copenhagen, Lesya Rykhalska, who is also the representative of Ukrainian schools affiliated with the organization. Lastivka’s president, Ms. Padovska, accompanied Mr. Czolij to various meetings in Denmark.
Mr. Czolij’s meetings with community members and leaders offered an opportunity for the exchange of ideas on establishing a Ukrainian central representation in Denmark.
With Ukrainians of Romania
On June 22-25, on the invitation of UWC member organization the Union of Ukrainians in Romania (UUR), Mr. Czolij traveled to Bucharest and Sighetu Marmatiei, Romania. In the framework of this visit, the UWC president, together with UWC First Vice-President and President of the European Congress of Ukrainians Jaroszlava Hartyanyi, participated in the Extraordinary Convention of the UUR, the Congress of Unity.
The UWC activists also presented current Ukrainian issues to the assistant bishop to the Romanian patriarch and secretary of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Romanian governing authorities and the Ukrainian community.
On June 22 in Bucharest, Mr. Czolij met with members of the UUR leadership during which he informed about the work and future plans of the UWC.
The next day, in Sighetu Marmatiei, he participated in the Extraordinary Convention of the UUR attended by over 300 participants. This event was opened with a prayer by Father Ivan Pitsura of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Romania, followed by an address by UUR President Mykola Miroslav Petrecky, who underscored the importance of this convention. There was an address by the UWC president and greetings from the president of the European Congress of Ukrainians, as well as reports by the presidents of all 12 UUR branches.
Following this event, Eugene Czolij and Jaroszlava Hartyanyi joined a wreath laying ceremony at the monument to Taras Shevchenko and attended a concert that included performances by children from Ukraine, participants of the Festival of Ukrainian Culture “Nasha Pisnia, Nasha Dolia” under the direction of Maryan Hadenko, and the joint choir Ronianski Holosy and Sokoliata from Romania under the direction of Jeta Petreckyi.
On June 24, Mr. Czolij attended divine liturgy at the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Ukrainian Orthodox Church, after which he met with the pastor, Father Mykola Lavruk, and addressed the parishioners. In his address, the UWC leader affirmed that the Ukrainian diaspora is the best ally of the people of Ukraine in the defense of its territorial integrity and sovereignty, and called upon Ukrainians in Romania to unite around common values and to remain Ukrainian.
On June 25, Mr. Czolij met with the assistant bishop to the Romanian Patriarch and Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Patriarchal Bishop Varlaam Ploieșteanu, Speaking on behalf of the over-20-million strong Ukrainian diaspora, including the Ukrainian community of Romania, he highlighted the importance of the issuance of a Tomos of Autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, as well as the granting of a parcel of land for the construction of a church in Bucharest for the Ukrainian Orthodox community.
Also that day, the UWC president met with Romanian governing authorities, expressing thanks to Romania for its support of Ukraine. Mr. Czolij called for the strengthening of Romanian-Ukrainian relations, including economic and trade cooperation, and he urged Romania to recognize the Holodomor as genocide of the Ukrainian people. He also discussed Ukraine’s Law “On Education” with the goal of addressing Romania’s concerns about Article 7 of that law.
While in Romania, Mr. Czolij was accompanied by UUR President and Member of Parliament in Romania Mykola Miroslav Petrecky, Counselor of the Ministry of Education of Romania for the Ukrainian National Minority Elvira Codra and UUR Secretary Tereza Sendroiu.