Ukrainian World Congress President concludes working visit to Germany

On 8-14 December 2016 Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij, on the invitation of the UWC Ukrainian national central representation in Germany, the Association of Ukrainian Organizations in Germany (AUOG), fulfilled a working visit to Berlin, Germany, where he participated in AUOG events and held a series of official meetings with high-ranking officials and representatives of civil society in Germany.

The UWC President delivered remarks during a meeting-forum with Ukrainian community organizations in Germany, delivered the keynote address during an AUOG reception, and conveyed greetings to, and presided over the Second Biennial General Meeting of AUOG during which he also participated in a roundtable discussion on the Russian information war against Ukraine.

During meetings with German high-ranking officials and representatives of civil society, the UWC President expressed gratitude for Germany’s participation in the Normandy format and encouraged a continuing key role in counteracting the Russian hybrid war in Ukraine that threatens peace and stability in the world. Eugene Czolij emphasized that, in defending its borders, Ukraine is, in fact, stopping the advance of Russian imperialism to the West, and he called for Germany to continue supporting Ukraine, including with the extension of targeted economic sanctions against the Russian Federation until it fully complies with the Minsk agreements and de-occupies Crimea. The UWC President also highlighted the importance of firmly defending the human rights of the residents of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, and Ukrainians in the Russian Federation. Eugene Czolij directed attention to the implementation in Ukraine of a range of pro-European reforms and specific measures being taken to combat corruption, including the e-declaration of assets by Ukrainian civil servants. He also called upon German high-ranking officials to seek ways to conclude the ratification process for the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement without modifying the Agreement and to support the visa free regime for Ukraine taking into account its fulfillment of all criteria.

While in Berlin, the UWC President discussed cooperation in furthering Ukrainian interests with  Ambassador of Ukraine in Germany Andriy Melnyk.

The UWC President was accompanied during his visit to Germany by UWC Liaison Officer to International Organizations Maryna Iaroshevych and AUOG President Lesya Shramko.

“The meetings in Germany, a key partner for Ukraine in stopping Russian aggression against Ukraine, were productive and signaled Germany’s continued support,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.

More information on the visit of the UWC President to Germany is also available on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

List of individuals with whom the UWC President met:

Barnett Doris, Head of German Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of OSCE, Member of the Budget Committee, Member of the German Bundestag

Beck Marieluise, Coordinator of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Member of the German Bundestag

Bertele Joachim, Deputy Director General, Foreign Policy, Security Policy and Global Issues, Federal Chancellery in Germany

Both Kuni Ludwig, President of German-Ukrainian Association for Economy and Science

Böttger Katrin, Deputy Director at the Institute for International Politics

Brand Michael, Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid, Member of the German Bundestag

Despot Andrea, Deputy Director of the Berlin European Academy

Forbrig Joerg, Director of the Fund for Belarus Democracy and Senior Transatlantic Fellow at the Central and Eastern Europe Department of the German Marshall Fund of the United States

Fücks Ralf, President of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung

Ganninger Angela, Head of Europe Unit, Office of the President of Germany

Harms Rebecca, Member of the European Parliament

Hildebrandt Alexandra, Chairperson and Director of the Checkpoint Charlie Museum

Jobelius Matthias, Head of the Department of Central and Eastern Europe Division for International Dialogue at the Friedrich Ebert Foundation

Lamers Karl, Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Defence Committee and former President at the Atlantic Treaty Association, Member of the German Bundestag

Meister Stefan, Head of Program Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia at the German Council on Foreign Relations

MelnykAndriy, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine in Germany

Oetker Arend, President of German Council on Foreign Relations

Peschke Andreas, Ambassador, Special Envoy for Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia at the Federal Foreign Office

Reinke Sarah, Head of Berlin Office, Eastern Europe Department, at the Society for Threatened Peoples

Röttgen Norbert, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Member of the German Bundestag

Spary Peter, Secretary General of German-Ukrainian Association for Economy and Science

Spinrath Norbert, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on the Affairs of the European Union and European Policy Spokesman for the Social Democratic Parliamentary Group, Member of the German Bundestag

Stewart Susan, Senior Associate of the Eastern Europe and Eurasia Research Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs

Studemann Dietmar, former Ambassador of Germany in Ukraine

Voigt Karsten, Former German Federal Foreign Office Coordinator of German-North American Cooperation and former member of the German Bundestag dealing with Germany-Russia relations

In the photo from left: N. Röttgen, E. Czolij and A. Melnyk

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