INSIDE: l Ukrainian Diaspora Days in Lviv celebrate UWC – page 5 l Poroshenko urges support for heroes at Invictus Games – page 7 l Vyshyvanka Run in NYC marks Ukraine’s independence – page 13 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXV No. 39 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2017 $2.00 Ukrainian Catholic University opens Washington events focus on Ukraine Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Center and the importance of U.S. support by Yaro Bihun attended by an estimated 500 guests, among them U.S. government officials, mem- WASHINGTON – U.S. relations with and bers of Congress, political analysts, diplo- future support for Ukraine was the focus of mats from more than 70 countries, and rep- two important gatherings in the nation’s resentatives of international organizations capital held in recent days. and financial institutions, U.S. businesses The first, a massive reception held and the Ukrainian American community. September 12 in the very spacious hall of In their addresses at the anniversary the U.S. Institute of Peace, was hosted by reception, Vice Prime Minister Klympush- the Embassy of Ukraine to mark the 26th Tsintsadze and Ukrainian Ambassador anniversary of Ukraine’s independence and Valeriy Chaly highlighted the growing U.S.- the upcoming 26th anniversary of the Ukraine strategic partnership and establishment of diplomatic relations with expressed their gratitude for the strong U.S. the United States. bipartisan support for Ukraine. On the following day, a much smaller Ms. Klympush-Tsintsadze continued pre- group of prominent people actively senting Ukraine’s domestic and foreign pol- involved in the positive development of icy goals and concerns the following day on that bilateral relationship met at the U.S. Capitol Hill, during the CUC-USUF meeting Capital Visitor Center under the auspices of on its “Priority Recommendations for U.S. the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus (CUC) Assistance” report. Oleksandr Laskin and the Friends of Ukraine Network of the Introduced at the discussion by Bishop Borys Gudziak consecrates the Sheptytsky Center. U.S.-Ukraine Foundation (USUF). Congressional Ukraine Caucus co-chair And attendees at both gatherings were Rep. Nancy Kaptur (D-Ohio), the vice prime honored to hear the Ukrainian govern- by Mariya Chubata renew God-given human dignity. We bow minister thanked her and her colleagues our heads before the benefactors who have ment’s assessment of Ukraine’s develop- for their understanding and assistance for LVIV – The Metropolitan Andrey become our family, members of commit- ment, its conflict with Russia and what assis- Ukraine, especially over the last nine Sheptytsky Center of the Ukrainian tees, all the people who support us.” tance it is seeking in the West, directly from months, which especially strengthened its Catholic University (UCU) has opened its Before sprinkling holy water on the Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister for European economic, defense and energy sectors. doors to visitors. The consecration and cer- Sheptytsky Center, Bishop Borys noted that and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna “We do count on the U.S. continued sup- emonial opening were held on September the aspergillum he held in his hands was Klympush-Tsintsadze, who was in port for Ukraine and continued pressure on 10 in Lviv. the same one that Pope John Paul II used Washington for a series of meetings with the Kremlin to comply in full with the pro- It was a celebration not only for the uni- when, during his visit to Lviv in 2001, he senior U.S. government officials and others. visions of the international law to imple- versity community. Some 180 friends of The Ukrainian Embassy reported that the UCU from the United States and Canada (Continued on page 20) reception at the U.S. Institute of Peace was (Continued on page 8) traveled thousands of miles to share the joy and exaltation and to personally experi- ence this event, significant for all Ukraine. People, conversations, smiles, greetings and hugs filled all the spaces of the universi- President of Ukraine meets with Ukrainian community leaders ty campus – some looked at the Sheptytsky Center, some went to the University Church Presidential Administration of Ukraine of the Holy Wisdom of God for morning NEW YORK – President Petro Poroshenko prayer, and others met old friends near the and his wife, Maryna Poroshenko, met with UCU Collegium. leaders of the Ukrainian community and rep- The day began with an acknowledge- resentatives of Crimean Tatar organizations ment of the major benefactors of UCU’s in the United States. The presidential couple Comprehensive Campaign “A New toured The Ukrainian Museum in New York. Generation for a New Ukraine” by conse- The head of state thanked foreign crating a memorial plaque listing donors. Ukrainians for their support and assistance. One of the tablets reads: “In gratitude to “Never in the history of the Ukrainian state, the thousands of donors of UCU’s after the restoration of independence, has Comprehensive Campaign ‘A New Ukraine felt such great assistance and unity Generation for a New Ukraine’ 2010-2016, of all Ukrainians in the world aimed to who by their generosity made possible the implement the tasks the Ukrainian state creation of this university campus. May the faces today,” he emphasized. Lord bless all the university’s benefactors!” Mr. Poroshenko recalled the creation of “On this site, according to the plans of the new Ukrainian army, inter alia, with the the Soviet government, there was sup- assistance of Ukrainians in the diaspora. He posed to be a Communist building, but it is noted the steps of the U.S. Congress to help fitting that here arose something in the Ukraine, including its approval of defensive spirit of Lviv, but in the 21st century. And lethal weapons. Presidential Administration of Ukraine today the Sheptytsky Center is here,” noted “This is not just a position that helps At The Ukrainian Museum for a meeting with Ukrainian community leaders and Bishop Borys Gudziak, president of UCU. increase the price the Russian aggressor Crimean Tatar representatives (from left) are: Mustafa Dzhemilev, commissioner of “Great thanks to all who helped fulfill the the president of Ukraine for the affairs of Crimean Tatars, President Petro dream of a human campus which will (Continued on page 8) Poroshenko and First Lady Maryna Poroshenko. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2017 No. 39 FOR THE RECORD President Trump mentions Ukraine Poroshenko seeks peacekeeping mission time is relatively short.” Since 2014, the European Union has given Ukraine 2.8 bil- UNITED NATIONS – Ukraine’s president lion euros of financial assistance. (RFE/RL) in address to U.N. General Assembly has repeated his call for a full United Nations peacekeeping mission, telling the Umerov ‘only a citizen of Ukraine’ Following is an excerpt from President tion facing every leader and nation in this world body that such a mission should be Donald Trump’s address to the United room. It is a question we cannot escape or authorized to patrol Ukraine’s border with SYMFEROPOL, Ukraine – A top Crimean Nations General Assembly on September 19. avoid. We will slide down the path of com- Russia. Mr. Poroshenko’s call came on Tatar leader declared himself “only a citi- The text of his address was released by the placency, numb to the challenges, threats zen of Ukraine” as he lashed out in a final White House, Office of the Press Secretary. and even wars that we face. Or do we have September 20 in his speech to the U.N. General Assembly and followed a proposal court statement at Russian prosecutors enough strength and pride to confront those who have charged him with separatism. …It is an eternal credit to the American dangers today, so that our citizens can enjoy floated last week by President Vladimir Putin for such a mission. Mr. Putin said on Ilmi Umerov, who has repeatedly criticized character that even after we and our allies peace and prosperity tomorrow? Russia’s 2014 seizure of the Black Sea emerged victorious from the bloodiest war If we desire to lift up our citizens, if we September 14 that U.N. peacekeepers might be deployed on the contact line sepa- region from Ukraine, is the latest in a series in history, we did not seek territorial aspire to the approval of history, then we of Crimean Tatar leaders whom Russia has expansion, or attempt to oppose and must fulfill our sovereign duties to the peo- rating the sides of the conflict in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region. And he said there targeted with criminal prosecutions. At the impose our way of life on others. Instead, ple we faithfully represent. We must pro- September 20 hearing, prosecutor Denys we helped build institutions such as this tect our nations, their interests and their might be other parts where OSCE monitors could operate parallel to a U.N. mission. In Semenchuk asked the court to give him a one to defend the sovereignty, security, and futures. We must reject threats to sover- three-and-a-half-year suspended sentence. prosperity for all. eignty, from the [sic] Ukraine to the South his U.N. speech, Mr. Poroshenko said a full- fledged U.N. peacekeeping operation was Mr. Semenchuk also recommended that Mr. For the diverse nations of the world, this China Sea. We must uphold respect for law, Umerov, 60, who is a qualified doctor, be is our hope. We want harmony and friend- respect for borders and respect for culture, welcomed. “The launch of a peacekeeping barred from public activities and teaching ship, not conflict and strife. We are guided and the peaceful engagement these allow. operation will enable [Ukraine] to restore medicine for a three-year period.