On 19 and 20 September 2017, Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij fulfilled a working visit to New York, U.S.A., where he addressed a strategic session on Ukraine of the Atlantic Council, attended the Atlantic Council’s Global Citizen Awards dinner and discussed current Ukrainian issues during meetings with high-ranking officials at the United Nations (UN).
The UWC is working with the Atlantic Council, a well-known think tank, in the implementation of its “Ukraine in Europe Іnitiative” with the goal of engaging international support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea. This initiative also supports reforms in Ukraine and its Euro-Atlantic integration, and countering Russian disinformation.
Addressing the strategic session on 20 September 2017 the UWC President stressed the critical situation in Eastern Ukraine where, as a result of Russian aggression, loss of life continues, and he underlined the importance of the international community to assist Ukraine in the defence of its territorial integrity and to stop the western advance of the Russian aggressor. Eugene Czolij also noted the importance of further countering Russian disinformation which attempts to portray Ukraine as a failed state, and focused attention on the important reforms in Ukraine.
A series of presentations dealing with the current situation in Ukraine, U.S. policy on Ukraine, security and defense issues, and sanctions against the Russian Federation were made and discussed during the strategic session by Executive Vice President of the Atlantic Council Damon Wilson; US Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations from the U.S. Department of State Ambassador Kurt Volker; Senior Fellow of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs Ambassador Paula Dobriansky; Senior Fellow of the Atlantic Council Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Adrian Karatnycky; former NATO Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Alexander Vershbow; General Wesley Clark; and Distinguished Fellow, Europe and Eurasia, at the Atlantic Council Ambassador Daniel Fried.
Eugene Czolij also attended the Global Citizen Awards dinner hosted by the Atlantic Council during which the honor was bestowed upon Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in, and world-renowned pianist, educator and philanthropist Lang Lang.
Joining the UWC President at the Atlantic Council initiatives were UWC Vice President and President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) Paul Grod; Chair of the UWC International Council on UN Affairs Tamara Olexy, UCC Advisory Council Chair James Temerty and his spouse Louise, and UCC Advisory Council Vice-Chair Ian Ihnatowycz.
On 19 and 20 September 2017 Eugene Czolij held separate meetings with the Director, Europe Division, of the Department of Political Affairs, United Nations, Ambassador Levent Bilman; Minister-Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations Michael Bonser; Senior Advisor for Europe of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations Steven Kashkett; and Political Advisor of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations George Ward. Accompanying the UWC President was the Chair of the UWC International Council on UN Affairs Tamara Olexy.
During the meetings, the UWC President raised issues related to the importance of supporting Ukraine in the defence of its territorial integrity, the deployment of a UN peacekeeping mission to Donbas and an observer mission to Crimea, ongoing reforms in Ukraine and the organization of a special event at the UN on Ukraine before the end of the year.
“The Ukrainian World Congress will continue to actively cooperate with the Atlantic Council and the international community to stop the hybrid war of the Russian Federation and help Ukraine pursue its European and Euro-Atlantic integration,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.
