The Ukrainian Weekly, 2015

INSIDE: l Ukraine’s new ambassador to Canada – page 3 l Poroshenko’s address to the U.N. General Assembly – page 7 l Exhibits at Ukrainian museums in Toronto, New York – pages 10-11 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXIII No. 40 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2015 $2.00 Hundreds protest Putin’s At U.N., Putin shifts world attention arrival at United Nations from Ukraine with Syrian campaign by Andrij Dobriansky Ukrainian American Organizations of New York, the International Circassian Council, NEW YORK – Several hundred protest- Solidarni 2010 and others. The AESC has ers gathered in front of the United Nations spent the better part of a year sharing building in New York City on Monday, information and organizing rallies and September 28, in a pointed rebuke to the petitions with the input of representatives world body’s welcome of President from the Belarusan Congress Committee of Vladimir Putin. While Ukrainians were America, the Lithuanian American being escorted from inside the main hall Community (New York district), the for holding aloft a Ukrainian flag, a united American Latvian Association and the mix of nationalities and human rights Crimean Tatar community. advocates chanted “No more vetoes for With already established community Putin,” “Crimea is Ukraine,” and “Justice for ties and a record of organizing events, the MH17” from across the street. AESC was ready to coordinate a multi-eth- The themes presented by the protest nic series of demonstration when the leaders at this particular gathering were: opportunity arose. Partnering with the to remind the world that Mr. Putin’s war UCCA to mobilize Ukrainians beyond New now encompasses eight distinct conflict York City, calls came in from additional zones, to ensure that Mr. Putin’s willful vio- communities, with interest expressed by lation of the U.N. Charter by invading activists from Washington and Canada. Ukraine is not an afterthought at this gath- The protest planning meetings grew to Ukraine Crisis Media Center ering of the U.N. General Assembly; and to include representatives of the Ukrainian Activists, parliamentarians and diplomats unfurled a battle-scarred Ukrainian national flag during the speech of Russian President Vladimir Putin at the U.N. point to the growing list of political prison- National Women’s League of America, as General Assembly as a silent protest. The flag belonged to a Ukrainian military unit ers captured and sentenced to many of well as the World Federation of Ukrainian whose soldiers were killed in August 2014 outside the city of Ilovaisk during the Russia’s most infamous prisons. This final Women’s Organizations, Razom, the Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine. theme was especially important on Estonian Association, Music Lovers United Monday, designated as an International Against Putin’s Aggression, Russians by Zenon Zawada cratic Ukraine to determine its future and Day of Recognition of Nadiya Savchenko’s Against the War and RUSA LGBT, a control its territory.” imprisonment. Russian-speaking American LGBT rights KYIV – Russian President Vladimir Putin While in New York for the opening of the When news first broke that the Russian group. These last two organizations have emerged from the United Nations on 70th session of the U.N. General Assembly, president would address the United protested alongside Ukrainian demonstra- September 28-29, having successfully shift- Mr. Poroshenko met with British Prime Nations for the first time in 10 years, a tors for over a year, with RUSA LGBT hav- ed the world’s attention away from the Minister David Cameron, who said the ille- wide array of diaspora groups started plan- ing a record of protesting Mr. Putin’s Russian-backed military occupation of the gal elections planned by the Russian- ning a show of anti-Putin solidarity, uniting actions more actively in New York City Donbas and Russia’s illegal annexation of backed forces for October 18 and those he has threatened and harmed the than any other group in the year immedi- Crimea, Kyiv experts said. November 1 will undermine the Minsk most. Over the course of several weeks, the ately preceding Russia’s military invasion That’s despite the fact that Ukrainian accords. Mr. Poroshenko called for new Ukrainian Congress Committee of America of Ukraine. President Petro Poroshenko told the U.N. of sanctions to be imposed as the conse- hosted the organizers at its Manhattan The end result of all this coordination, the thousands dead due to “the treacherous quence for holding these elections. Mr. offices. Initially comprising community both in person and through social media, Russian annexation of Ukrainian Crimea Cameron reiterated British support for activists local to the area, most had earlier was a tenfold increase above the anticipat- and aggression in Donbas” and called for Ukraine, including military instructors and begun to meet under the banner of the ed number of protestors – nearly 1,500 – “the need to counteract ongoing Russian targeted aid for the military. American European Solidarity Council assembled over the course of two days, aggression.” In a meeting with German Chancellor (AESC), founded by leaders of the United September 27-28. Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vitaly Angela Merkel, Mr. Poroshenko discussed Churkin left the General Assembly hall in the remaining measures for launching the protest. The entire Ukrainian delegation, Free Trade Area with the European Union led by Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.N. on January 1. The two leaders also pre- Yuriy Sergeyev, responded in kind when Mr. pared for the scheduled October 2 talks in Putin took to the podium. Paris in the Normandy format, where Mr. Mr. Poroshenko underscored that the Putin will meet individually with Ms. Donbas war had created 1.5 million dis- Merkel and French President François placed persons domestically and has cost Hollande, reported the RIA Novosti news his government $5 million per day. agency. No such meeting has been sched- (Extensive excerpts of Mr. Poroshenko’s uled thus far with Mr. Poroshenko. address can be read on page 7.) Ukraine hopes to become a non-perma- In his address to the U.N. General nent member of the U.N. Security Council Assembly on September 28, U.S. President next year, Mr. Poroshenko said in an inter- Barack Obama referred to “Russia’s annex- view with Ukrainian journalists broadcast ation of Crimea and further aggression in on September 26. The General Assembly eastern Ukraine” and emphasized, “we can- will vote on October 15 for new non-per- not stand by when the sovereignty and ter- manent members and “I think our diplo- ritorial integrity of a nation is flagrantly matic efforts, my work in this direction will Alexander Zaporozhtsev violated.” Mr. Obama also noted, “we con- bear fruit,” he said. Ukrainians, joined by Belarusians, Lithuanians, Latvians, Georgians, Circassians and tinue to press for this crisis to be resolved others protest the arrival of President Vladimir Putin at the United Nations. in a way that allows a sovereign and demo- (Continued on page 4) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2015 No. 40 ANALYSIS Ukraine introduces sanctions Agreement on withdrawal of weapons recently concluded agreement on further demilitarization along the line of contact, MINSK – Representatives of Russia, but expressed concern over the failure by Ukraine and Europe reached a long-awaited against Russian citizens, companies the separatists to grant full access to OSCE agreement on the withdrawal of tanks and than 20 mid-size Russian banks. Many monitors and Russia’s continued deploy- by Oleg Varfolomeyev other weapons from the frontline in eastern defense industry firms and air companies ment of troops and weapons inside Ukraine. Eurasia Daily Monitor Ukraine. “This is a document that opens a can also be found on the list, but this only The two leaders also discussed the need to path to peace, a path to an end of violence On September 16, Ukrainian President confirms the status quo. The war had strengthen regional energy security, as well and attacks,” Russian negotiator Azamat Petro Poroshenko signed a decree introduc- already put an end to cooperation with as domestic political developments in Kulmukhametov said late September 29. ing sanctions against 105 firms and 388 Russia in the defense sector, and passenger advance of local Ukrainian elections in The deal supplements a broad agreement individuals, mainly from Russia, for support- flights between Russia and Ukraine have October.” (Office of the Vice-President) ing the annexation of Crimea and the war in been reduced to a minimum, along with the signed in February aimed at ending the con- the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas severance of business and official links. flict between the Western-aligned Ukrainian Poroshenko: conflict costs $5M a day (President.gov.ua, September 16). The The new measures are highly unlikely to government and Russia-backed rebels in the decree came into effect on September 22, harm any of the Russian citizens on the list east. Martin Sajdik, the representative of the UNITED NATIONS – President Petro when its text was published in the official – they are mainly government and military Organization for Security and Cooperation Poroshenko has said the conflict in the east- government newspaper, Uriadovyi Kurier. officials. Given the strained relations, not in Europe at the peace talks, said the agree- ern part of Ukraine costs about $5 million a This is a symbolic gesture, late and unlikely many of them would dare to travel to ment will start in two days and take 39 days day – money that the country could be put- to seriously affect anybody or any business Ukraine or have assets there, except Crimea to carry out. It covers “the withdrawal of ting into development.

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