On 14-15 August 2017 Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij together with his spouse Anna fulfilled his first visit to Singapore where he presented to its high-ranking government officials important Ukrainian issues and discussed with the local Ukrainian community ways of further cooperation with the UWC.
During the meetings with high-ranking government officials the UWC President expressed gratitude for the strong objection of Singapore to the invasion of Crimea by the Russian Federation, the support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the implementation of customized courses for Ukrainian officials on anti-corruption strategies and the facilitation of other training courses through the Singapore Cooperation Program.
Eugene Czolij also emphasized that the hybrid war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine includes a widespread disinformation campaign which attempts to convince the world that Ukraine is a failed state, noted the important reforms in various areas in Ukraine and concrete initiatives in combatting corruption, and underlined that Ukraine is an attractive country for investment.
The UWC President called on Singapore to continue its support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine and its reform process. He also urged Singapore during its chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2018 to promote an observer status for Ukraine in the ASEAN Parliamentary Assembly. Eugene Czolij also underlined the importance of activating the Ukraine-Singapore Parliamentary Friendship Group.
Eugene Czolij also had a meeting with the Ambassador of Ukraine to Singapore Dmytro Senik.
The UWC President met with the founders and leadership of the Ukrainian Club in Singapore – President Mikhail Gerasimov, First Vice President Liliya Barchuk, Vice President Tetiana Boiarska and First President Vitalii Chaika.
Eugene Czolij had a meeting with the Ukrainian community organized by the Ukrainian Club in Singapore and facilitated by Liliya Barchuk. During this meeting he presented the priorities of the UWC and familiarized himself with the life of the Ukrainian community in Singapore and viewed a video about the activities of the Ukrainian Club in Singapore.
“This trip was very successful and contributed to strengthening the ties of the Ukrainian World Congress with Ukrainians in Singapore,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.
List of high-ranking officials with whom the UWC President met:
De Cruz Simon Tensing, Ambassador of Singapore to Ukraine
Kiak Lim Wee, Member of Parliament of Singapore, Chair of the Singapore – Europe Regional Parliamentary Group
Lee Ning Sung, Deputy Director, Europe Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore
Nair Vikram, Member of Parliament of Singapore, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Foreign Affairs
Poroshenko Oleksiy, Member of Parliament of Ukraine, Chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Relations Group with Singapore
Senik Dmytro, Ambassador of Ukraine to Singapore
Siong Sam Tan Chin, Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Manpower and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore
Yalova Olena, Consul, Embassy of Ukraine to Singapore
From left: T. Boiarska, М. Gerasimov, E. Czolij, L. Barchuk and V. Chaika