INSIDE:  Analysis: Ukraine-Russia prisoner release – page 2  “Steinmeier formula” and Normandy Four – page 3  Diaspora statements support Plast in Ukraine – page 7

THEHEPublished U by theKRAINIANK UkrainianR NationalAIN Association,IAN Inc., celebrating W its 125th anniversaryEEKLYEEKLY Vol. LXXXVII No. 38 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 $2.00 Ukraine’s president rejects Zelenskyy’s foreign policy faces challenges state support for Plast scouts: at Normandy Four and U.N. General Assembly Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with President Donald What happened and what’s next Trump next week in New York during the opening of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly. by Roman Tymotsko Both events have generated considerable speculation KYIV – President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the law and controversy. While potentially providing new opportu- “On state recognition and support of Plast – National nities, they pose a major test for President Zelenskyy and Scouting Organization of Ukraine,” sending it back to the the cohesion and efficacy of his nascent foreign policy, as Verkhovna Rada on September 4. The legislation had been well as the aptitude of his team in this sphere. approved by the previously elected Parliament at the end Russia’s insistence on strict terms for its participation in of May and awaited the president’s action for more than a new Normandy Four summit – namely Ukraine’s accep- three months. tance of the controversial “Steinmeier formula” from 2016 The president did not sign the law; instead, he returned as a precondition – has set off alarm bells. The formula has it to the Parliament with his proposals. Now it is up to the been keenly supported by Russia, and backed by Germany recently elected new Rada to act on Ukraine’s recognition and France too. But Ukraine has been wary of this scheme and support of this scouting organization that was founded and until this week managed to keep it off the agenda. in 1911 in Ukraine. The Steinmeier formula foresees the simultaneous Back on May 30, members of the Verkhovna Rada already implementation of both the security and political compo- knew that in two months’ time snap elections would be held. nents of the earlier Minsk accords from 2014 and 2015 Presidential Office of Ukraine Just a week earlier, the newly inaugurated president had dis- aimed at ending the Russian-Ukrainian war in the Donbas, Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vadym Prystaiko on missed the Parliament. It was time to act on legislative proj- but the interpretation of the modalities of their implemen- September 11, when he was introduced by President ects that were in the queue. Andriy Parubiy, chairman of the tation have remained a stumbling block. The issues con- Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the diplomats and staff of his cern, among others, at what stage does Ukraine regain Rada, announced that the voting on the law regarding state ministry. recognition of Plast – which was written by 62 members of control of the border, when are troops and armed forma- the Verkhovna Rada – would be held that day. by Bohdan Nahaylo tions withdrawn, how are local elections to be conducted, Words of support by the primate of the Orthodox and what type of local self-government is foreseen. Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy, had raised the KYIV – A flurry of diplomatic activity continues around The announcement about President Zelenskyy’s forth- pressure on members of Parliament, most of whom public- events surrounding the forthcoming summit of the coming meeting with President Trump also raises ques- ly backed the new Church and its leader. “Normandy Four” leaders (Russia, Germany, France and tions and alludes to residual difficulties behind the scene. Two hundred twenty-eight votes cast in favor were Ukraine), and the separate, and now confirmed, meeting of Attempts were initially made in some quarters in slightly more than what was needed for the law to pass. the Ukrainian and U.S. presidents. Washington to depict the new Ukrainian president as Seven out of the eight parliamentary factions supported Ukraine’s new minister of foreign affairs, Vadym being in league with “enemies” of Mr. Trump. Although this the legislation. Unsurprisingly, the pro-Russian Opposition Prystaiko, indicated on September 18 that a meeting of the unexpected storm appears to have blown over, it is striking Bloc abstained from voting. Normandy Four – which Ukraine had wanted to be held in that the announcement refers only to a meeting of the two September – will now probably be held in October. That (Continued on page 10) same day, the White House announced that President (Continued on page 4)

Australian exhibition about Holodomor on view in Kyiv

Australian Federation of Ukrainian many Ukrainians who are still unaware of Organizations the depth of the tragedy of the Holodomor. Also in attendance were Melissa KYIV – In November 2018, the Australian O’Rourke, Australian ambassador to Federation of Ukrainian Organizations Ukraine; Olesia Stasiuk, director of the (AFUO) launched a unique photo exhibition National Museum: Holodomor Victims in Melbourne to mark 85 years since the Memorial; members of the exhibition’s Holodomor – Stalin’s man-made famine in curatorial team Halya Kostiuk and Janina Ukraine in 1932-33. The exhibition hon- Green; and other distinguished guests. ored survivors of the Holodomor who This moving tribute was brought togeth- eventually came to settle in Australia. er by Melbourne-based Ms. Kostiuk, Katya Nine months on, the exhibition opened Danylak, award-winning principal photogra- in Kyiv through a collaboration between pher Ms. Green and photographer Andrii the AFUO and the National Museum: Gavran. They travelled across Australia for Holodomor Victims Memorial. On August almost two years, interviewing and photo- 22, “Voices From Across the Ocean: graphing Holodomor survivors with the Holodomor Photographic Exhibition” was help of the local diaspora. The project aimed officially opened by Ukraine’s Minister of to immortalize the stories of these incredibly Culture Yevhen Nyschuk. resilient people – now in their 80s and 90s, Mr. Nyschuk spoke passionately about some of whom have since passed away – the need for all to remember the suffering and their families, ensuring the tragedy of that Ukrainians endured during the the Holodomor is never forgotten. Communist Soviet era and of the impor- AFUO tance in informing, not only the world, but Ukraine’s Minister of Culture Yevhen Nyschuk speaks at the opening of the exhibit. (Continued on page 6) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 No. 38

ANALYSIS

Ukraine accepts Russia’s terms Zelenskyy thanks Trump for releasing aid Concern over appeal in Gongadze murder Ukrainian President Volodymyr The New York-based Committee to for prisoner release agreement Zelenskyy has thanked U.S. President Protect Journalists (CPJ) on September 16 Donald Trump for releasing a $250 million “expressed concern” over the possibility Mr. Tsemakh is a possible key witness in by Vladimir Socor military assistance package that the White that a former Ukrainian police general who the scheduled international trial on the Eurasia Daily Monitor House had previously held for review. The confessed to the murder of a journalist may downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 have his life prison sentence commuted. (MH17) from Amsterdam, over the military aid is largely meant to train and PART I Oleksiy Pukach, who once headed the sur- Russian-occupied Donbas in 2014, when equip Ukrainian forces as they fight against veillance department of Ukraine’s Internal On September 7, Ukraine’s Presidential 298 lives (many of them Dutch) were lost. Russia-backed separatists in a war that has Affairs Ministry, was sentenced in January Office and the Kremlin announced a mutu- Mr. Tsemakh, an “air defense coordinator” lasted more than five years, killed more 2013 for the murder of Heorhiy Gongadze ally agreed decision to release 35 prisoners near the site of that catastrophe, subse- than 13,000 people, and torn apart a large from detention by each side. On the same quently told a local media outlet on video swath of eastern Ukraine. “I am thankful, I 13 years earlier on September 16. After his day, the 35 freed citizens of Ukraine were that he had helped to escort and shelter the am grateful to him,” Mr. Zelenskyy said on disappearance that day, Gongadze’s behead- flown from Russia to Kyiv, where President Russian Buk mobile air-defense battery September 13, a day after the White House ed body was found two months later in a Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed them on that shot down the airliner. The SBU dropped its resistance to the aid. Speaking forest near Kyiv that sent shock waves the airport’s tarmac (see Eurasia Daily abducted Mr. Tsemakh in June from the at the opening of the annual Yalta European through society and immediate calls for a Monitor, September 9). Meanwhile, there is Russian-occupied territory because of his Strategy (YES) meeting organized by thorough investigation. Mr. Pukach, mean- no official information on the whereabouts value as a witness in the upcoming interna- Ukrainian tycoon Viktor Pinchuk in Kyiv, while, has given conflicting accounts over of the 35 freed by Ukraine as a quid pro tional trial (one SBU officer was killed in Mr. Zelenskyy said that he felt his relation- the years, and has been appealing his life quo. The Kremlin did not stage a media the abduction operation). On September 5, ship with the fellow former TV star-turned- sentence for the past six years. His next event to fly any of them to Russia. a Kyiv Court of Appeals, undoubtedly president was “very good” and called the appearance before the Supreme Court is on The Kremlin and the Ukrainian prompted by the Presidential Office, United States an “important strategic part- October 9, which is when he could be freed. Presidential Office had negotiated this released Mr. Tsemakh on his own recogni- ner.” Last week, the White House said it “Nineteen years after the brutal murder… of mutual release agreement amid due secre- zance. He was supposed to report his would review the military aid package, Gongadze, there are concerns the confessed cy since August 7, following Mr. Zelenskyy’s killer may go free. Ukrainian authorities address and work place to the authorities apparently over corruption concerns and urgent plea to Russian President Vladimir should not allow impunity for journalists’ and to remain at their disposal for two to ensure that it would be used to further Putin that day (Ukrinform, TASS, August 7). killings to reign,” said Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s months (UNIAN, Ukrinform, September 5). American foreign policy interests. The aid Both sides are currently negotiating for fur- For all practical purposes, then, the European and Central Asia program coordi- review quickly sparked criticism from ther prisoner releases. value of this witness is lost to the upcoming nator. “There must be full justice… and the Republicans and Democrats in Congress, This event’s international context far trial. Russia’s insistence on having Mr. masterminds must also be held account- where there has been strong bipartisan outweighs the event itself. A humanitarian Tsemakh freed may be taken as indirect able.” Gongadze’s widow, Myroslava support for Ukraine on the issue of fighting matter, which should technically have been confirmation of Russia’s involvement in Gongadze, told CPJ that “Pukach’s release handled at the legal level, is instead being shooting down that airplane and fear that Russian aggression since the Kremlin would be a serious hit to media freedom in conflated with the political-diplomatic its involvement may be exposed. Dutch annexed Crimea and fomented the war in Ukraine. It would show that perpetrators of negotiations on implementing the Minsk authorities had asked Kyiv that Mr. eastern Ukraine in 2014. Mr. Zelenskyy said crimes against journalists are not fully held accords. Mr. Zelenskyy eagerly construes Tsemakh not be included in the prisoner he was careful not to comment publicly on accountable before the law.” (RFE/RL’s Russia’s agreement to mutual prisoner release. For its part, Ukraine’s Presidential the military aid issue while it was under Ukrainian Service, with reporting by releases as presaging an imminent end to Office could have used the international review, suggesting that doing so could Ukrayinska Pravda) the war. He is thereby raising the Ukrainian trial for counter-leverage on Russia, but it interfere with the White House’s deci- people’s expectations even higher than he has apparently decided to forfeit this sion. “But now we can say we have very Kyiv eyes hike in defense spending did during the recent presidential election chance. The handling of the Tsemakh case good relations with the U.S., because now As Kyiv seeks to meet Russia, Germany campaign, when he promised a quick-fix may well encourage other Russian agents we will get not only $250 million but [an and France by the end of the month for “peace” without addressing the terms of in captivity to be uncooperative and quietly additional] $140 million,” he said, referring talks on the armed Donbas conflict, such an end to the conflict. await being exchanged. to reports that the U.S. State Department Hostage to his own aspiration to end the The 35 freed citizens of Ukraine who Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy would also be moving forward with a sepa- Honcharuk unveiled the first draft of next war by December 2019, Mr. Zelenskyy now returned home include several political rate $140 million aid package for Ukraine seeks a summit of the Normandy Format prisoners (among whom are two public year’s state budget that foresees a 16 per- apart from the Ukraine Security Assistance cent spike in defense spending. Speaking at leaders (Russia, Germany, France, Ukraine), personalities from Crimea, sentenced in Initiative. The Ukrainian president also to be held in September, and within that a briefing with Finance Minister Oksana Russia for refusing to take Russian citizen- warned the West against lifting sanctions summit to hold a bilateral decisive meeting Makarova on September 15, Mr. Honcharuk ship) as well as the 24 sailors who were on Russia saying they are a tax needed “to with Mr. Putin (Ukrinform, UNIAN, seized from three Ukrainian naval boats said defense spending would reach $8.7 bil- maintain world order,” adding, “A peace tax, September 5, 7, 9). near the Kerch Strait, in November 2018. lion when taking into consideration the if you will. And you know in the civilized While the 35 Ukrainian citizens freed Russia was legally obligated to release those 2020 budget’s currency exchange rate of world it’s normal to pay taxes.” from Russian captivity were flown home to sailors and vessels to Ukraine under a May (Continued on page 12) Ukraine, a mirror action involving the 35 25 verdict by the International Tribunal for (Christopher Miller of RFE/RL) released by Ukraine has not taken place as the Law of the Sea (see EDM, May 30). yet. All 35 in this group participated in one However, Russia has chosen to release way or another in Russia’s hybrid war the sailors as part of a bilateral deal with against Ukraine as soldiers, paramilitary Ukraine. This allows Moscow, on the one HE KRAINIAN EEKLY FOUNDED 1933 fighters, intelligence agents or public agita- hand, to score a “legal” point: it does not T U W tors. This group seems to consist mostly of recognize any international jurisdiction in An English-language newspaper published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., citizens of Ukraine (whether from the its “territorial waters,” unilaterally rede- a non-profit association, at 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054. Russian-occupied territory or elsewhere in fined after seizing Crimea. And on the other Yearly subscription rate: $90; for UNA members — $80. Ukraine). Under Ukraine’s Constitution, cit- hand, it allows Moscow to eschew interna- Periodicals postage paid at Caldwell, NJ 07006 and additional mailing offices. izens of Ukraine cannot be expelled or tional penalties for noncompliance with the (ISSN — 0273-9348) handed over to another country. International Tribunal’s order to release Transferring them to Russia would pre- the Ukrainian sailors. The previous admin- The Weekly: UNA: sumably necessitate some legal formalities istration of President Petro Poroshenko Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 644-9510 Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 292-0900 – e.g., being granted Russian citizenship. had achieved that hard-won victory in the Several citizens of Ukraine from this group International Tribunal. The Zelenskyy Postmaster, send address changes to: are known to still be in Ukraine for the time administration, in turn, has chosen (for The Ukrainian Weekly Editor-in-chief: Roma Hadzewycz being, freed from detention “under their humanitarian reasons, as it suggests) to 2200 Route 10 Editor: Matthew Dubas own recognizance.” If any of these 35 were abandon the legal way and reach instead an P.O. Box 280 flown to Russia, it was not done publicly. informal agreement with the Kremlin to Parsippany, NJ 07054 e-mail: [email protected] Overall, then, the terms “prisoner free the sailors. The president and his office exchange” or “swap” (as widely used in the have therefore refrained from using the The Ukrainian Weekly Archive: www.ukrweekly.com mass media) are inaccurate. What has International Tribunal’s verdict in taken place at this stage is a mutually Ukraine’s favor. The Ukrainian Weekly, September 22, 2019, No. 38, Vol. LXXXVII agreed release, falling (on the whole) short In spite of the outward parallelism in Copyright © 2019 The Ukrainian Weekly of an actual swap. Kyiv’s and Moscow’s prisoner releases, the The Kremlin demanded the release of underlying politics of these decisions have Vladimir Tsemakh as a sine qua non condi- worked to Russia’s advantage and will con- ADMINISTRATION OF THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY AND SVOBODA tion to the entire 35-for-35 release. tinue doing so in the negotiations on fur- Ukrainian media reported on this fact, ther prisoner releases. Ukraine’s public Walter Honcharyk, administrator (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 and advertising manager fax: (973) 644-9510 which was confirmed by Security Service of opinion and state leadership (under both e-mail: [email protected] Ukraine (SBU) chief Ivan Bakanov on the Presidents Poroshenko and Zelenskyy) Subscription Department (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 day of the prisoners’ release (Interfax, e-mail: [email protected] September 7). (Continued on page 9) No. 38 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 3

NEWS ANALYSIS Ukraine’s foreign affairs minister and others fear being pushed by West into bad deal with Russia

by Christopher Miller ernment on August 29. “They are pushing us and its seizure of Crimea in 2014. RFE/RL to make some progress. We hope they are “Well, you can imagine how tired we are equally pushing the Russians.” [in Ukraine],” he said. KYIV – Ukraine’s foreign affairs minister Russia and Ukraine exchanged 70 prison- In addition to the deaths, more than has voiced concern about the prospect of ers on September 7 and are discussing the 30,000 people have been wounded, and being nudged into an unfavorable agreement possibility of swapping hundreds more. some 2 million people have been displaced with Russia, telling RFE/RL that he hopes Talks in Minsk, Belarus, involving their nego- since the war broke out in April 2014. the West is pressuring Moscow as hard as it tiators have led to the withdrawal of forces Swaths of Ukraine’s easternmost Donetsk is pushing Kyiv for progress toward peace in certain areas along the frontline of the war and Luhansk regions, which combined is in the Donbas. between Kyiv’s forces and Moscow-backed about the size of the U.S. state of Maryland, A recent flurry of diplomatic activity separatists, as well as a decline in fighting remain under control of the separatists. All between Ukraine and Russia has raised fresh and the repair of some critical infrastructure of this has hampered Ukraine’s economy hope for a deal between the countries that that has eased conditions for civilians. and efforts to reform its institutions. could end the more-than-five-year war in Their top diplomats are now working The war has persisted in part because eastern Ukraine, which has killed more than out when President Zelenskyy and Russian Moscow has failed to withdraw Russian 13,000 people and fueled a bigger geopoliti- President Vladimir Putin can meet face-to- forces fighting alongside separatist mili- cal fight between Moscow and the West. face with their German and French coun- RadioSvoboda.org tants and turn over control of the national Western countries such as Germany, terparts in what would be the first peace border in the conflict-plagued area to Foreign Affairs Minister Vadym Prystaiko France and the United States have become summit of the so-called Normandy Four Ukraine, commitments outlined in a peace of Ukraine. “so preoccupied by progress” that some in since 2016. deal hashed out in Minsk in February 2015. Kyiv are growing worried that they might Speaking at the YES conference on War fatigue concern in Kyiv that its backers in the West force Ukraine into a bad deal with Russia may see the current moment as the best or September 13, John Tefft, who was the U.S. for the sake of peace, Vadym Prystaiko said The developments result in part from last real chance for peace in Ukraine and ambassador to Ukraine in 2009-2013 and in a brief interview on the sidelines of the efforts by Mr. Zelenskyy, who took office in thus push its leadership to make painful to Russia in 2014-2017, warned Western Yalta European Strategy (YES) conference May, to break a deadlock and find areas compromises. countries against pushing Ukraine to give in the Ukrainian capital on September 14. where relations with Russia and with In his comments to RFE/RL, Mr. up any more than it has already. “It could “I hate this specific word called ‘progress.’ Ukrainians in the areas of the Donetsk and Prystaiko said he understood that Western lead to long-term harm of the security of Every time [we meet], our Western partners Luhansk regions held by the Russia-backed leaders “are tired of dealing” with Russia- this country,” he said. “I think we should sit want to have so-called progress,” said Mr. militants can be improved in hopes of lay- Ukraine issues and are under pressure tight and let the Ukrainian government Prystaiko, who was appointed as part of ing a foundation for a lasting peace. from some businesses to lift sanctions President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s new gov- But amid the developments, there is also imposed on Moscow over its role in the war (Continued on page 16)

The ‘Steinmeier formula’: possible scenarios for the upcoming Normandy-format meeting

Ukraine Crisis Media Center Minister Prystaiko mentioned the former participant of the Normandy-format one paragraph of the Minsk agreements – Steinmeier formula. He said it was adopted negotiations at the level of diplomatic advi- the so-called “special status” – local self- In late August, the foreign affairs minis- by the fifth president of Ukraine, Petro sors I would like to emphasize: Ukraine government system in the uncontrolled ter of the Russian Federation, Sergei Poroshenko, in 2016. “The ‘Steinmeier for- never agreed and it could not agree to the areas in the Donbas. Lavrov, said one of the preconditions to mula’ that our head of the state endorsed is Steinmeier formula,” Mr. Yeliseyev told The formula was designed to answer the holding a high-level meeting of the what we have to implement; we even Yevropeiska Pravda (European Pravda). question of when and under what condi- Normandy Four is “the need to put down implement the promises made by our for- tions special status should be granted to What is the “Steinmeier formula”? on paper the formula by the former chief of mer presidents. We are now discussing the the uncontrolled areas. It can be boiled the German Foreign Affairs Ministry and form,” Minister Prystaiko said. The concept suggested by Mr. Steinmeier down to the phrase: “special status comes current President of Germany Frank- At the same time, Kostyantyn Yeliseyev, a in 2015 is neither a roadmap for imple- through honest and democratic elections Walter Steinmeier.” President Volodymyr participant of the Normandy format negoti- mentation of the Minsk agreements, nor a according to OSCE standards.” These stan- Zelenskyy announced that the “Steinmeier ations and President Poroshenko’s diplo- de-escalation plan, Ukraine’s former dards suggest that elections cannot be held formula” will be discussed by state leaders matic advisor, says Ukraine never agreed to Foreign Affairs Minister Pavlo Klimkin is during the Normandy Four meeting. the Steinmeier formula in 2014-2019. “As a convinced. The concept is related to just (Continued on page 16) office of the Organization for Security and CooperationMiroslav in Lajčák, Europe the (OSCE), chairperson-in- who is also Slovakia’s minister of foreign and European affairs, said Ukraine should use the so- called “Steinmeier plan” to have the Minsk Zelenskyy meets with freed seamen agreements implemented. Last week Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vadym Prystaiko made a sensation- al statement in which he mentioned that the “Steinmeier formula” had been endorsed during the Poroshenko administration. Below, we look at what the concept puts forward, what Russia’s intent for the upcoming meeting is, and what Ukraine’s stance should be. What did the foreign affairs minister say? On the sidelines of the 16th Yalta European Strategy (YES) annual meeting, Foreign Affairs Minister Prystaiko in a com- ment to Interfax Ukraine said that Ukrainian authorities would like to hold local elections all across the country, including in the temporarily uncontrolled areas in the Donbas. The next local elections in Ukraine are scheduled for 2020; elections on the occu- KYIV – President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the freed Ukrainian sailors who had been detained in the Russian Federation on pied territory are mentioned in the Minsk September 12 in an informal atmosphere in the park courtyard of the Mariyinsky Palace in Kyiv. The meeting was also attended by agreements. Will that help return the occu- the relatives of the sailors. Mr. Zelenskyy congratulated the servicemen on the return to their homeland and thanked the sailor’s rela- pied part of the Donbas more quickly? In tives for the support they provided. “They are the same heroes as you. They did everything to bring you back, and we helped them,” what way and under what conditions can it Mr. Zelenskyy said. The president stressed that the operation to return the Ukrainians from Russia had been extremely difficult; happen? How can elections be held when many people and authorities were involved in the process and worked in a coherent manner. “It was very difficult to keep it a secret the territories in question are beyond the when so many people were involved,” the president said. He presented gifts of presidential watches to the sailors government’s control? – Presidential Office of Ukraine 4 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 No. 38

independence and territorial integrity, but idea, but also for his own particular rea- talks in Minsk, expressed his concern. He Zelenskyy’s... he signaled his readiness to begin dialogue sons, that in the wake of the prisoner swap told the Associated Press that Ukraine is with Moscow. The political newcomer took a summit of the Normandy Four leaders being pressured by France and Germany to (Continued from page 1) the initiative and established direct tele- could be arranged without delay. The last agree to “all the demands that Moscow is presidents on the margins of the U.N. phone contact with his Russian counterpart. one was held three years ago. It was hoped making,” effectively empowering the “sepa- General Assembly. There is no mention of The result was an agreement on the bilat- that such a meeting could be held in Paris ratists” it has installed there through what an official visit by Mr. Zelenskyy to the eral exchange of 35 captives that was seen as on September 16, which would have coin- would be phoney local elections under White House as had initially been envis- a potential breakthrough which could help cided roughly with the fifth anniversary of Russian control. “I don’t have a lot of hope,” aged. move things forward – not only in terms of the signing of the first Minsk accords in he added. “Zelenskyy will have a hard time The question of how the Ukrainian pres- securing the release of more Ukrainian politi- 2014. – it will be one against three people,” ident and Russian President Vladimir Putin cal prisoners held by Russia, but also in But on September 13 Putin senior advi- Mr. Kuchma reiterated the Ukrainian will react to one another at their first meet- reviving the moribund peacemaking process sor Yurii Ushakov suddenly publicly position: “Security comes first. You need to ing applies similarly to that with Mr. centered on the Minsk accords. announced that Moscow was insisting on pull out the troops, pull out the heavy Trump. What will be on the agenda coming Observers note that much of this was prerequisites. The main one was not only weaponry, give us back the border, and so soon after Mr. Trump made it clear that successful improvisation without a proper that the “Steinmeier formula” be agreed then we will hold free elections.” he wants Mr. Putin to be allowed to rejoin foreign policy team to guide the new presi- upon as the roadmap, but that the parties Subsequently, Mr. Prystaiko and other the Group of Seven and the U.S. leader’s dent. Foreign Affairs Minister Prystaiko should agree to it in writing in advance of Ukrainian officials have clarified that any seeming reluctance to provide military was not approved by the Verkhovna Rada the meeting. Later that day, without going elections in the occupied areas can be con- assistance to Ukraine. until relatively recently and in the mean- into details, Mr. Prystaiko announced that ducted only once Russian forces are with- Mr. Zelenskyy was well received on his time Mr. Zelenskyy had also announced the the summit was postponed for technical drawn, under Ukrainian law and supervi- first foreign visits to Paris and Berlin, Kyiv’s replacement of Ukraine’s ambassador in reasons from the Russian side. sion of the Organization for Security and partners in the Normandy negotiations for- Washington. On the following day, former Ukrainian Cooperation in Europe, and that any tem- mat. He held firm to the principles defended Mr. Zelenskyy suggested, with France’s President Leonid Kuchma, who is Mr. porary local self-governance is limited and by his predecessor of no concessions on President Emmanuel Macron backing the Zelenskyy’s envoy for the ongoing peace temporary. The question of how represen- tative an election in the Donbas could be in the absence of 1.5 million internally dis- placed persons remains open. After more frenetic behind-the-scenes diplomacy, Mr. Prystaiko announced on September 18 that Ukraine had agreed to use the Steinmeier formula as the basis for further discussion at the forthcoming sum- mit, making it clear that without this Russia would not have gone ahead. He stressed that, although some compromises will eventually have to be made to achieve peace, the Ukrainian side will not give way on fundamental issues. Some observers have expressed concern about this “backtracking.” Vladimir Socor of the Jamestown Foundation concludes: “These vacillations reflect the dysfunctional nature of the Zelenskyy team’s Russia poli- cy.” While Mr. Prystaiko is an experienced diplomat, he is subordinate to “a novice president” and inexperienced “close circle” who have “positioned their boss as the anti-war, pro-peace candidate.” The analyst points out that “Zelenskyy’s team” – he mentions Andriy Yermak, a film copyright lawyer and film producer, as handling con- tacts with Moscow – “has shown an inclina- tion for non-transparent contacts with the Kremlin.” Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin commented that the “Steinmeier formula is not something threatening” if seen as “only one component of the overall process,” and applied strictly in accordance with OSCE standards and Ukrainian law. But the risks are nevertheless significant that Russia will try to force though its own interpretation that is inimical to Ukraine’s interests. What is needed at this time, Mr. Klimkin advises, is not to present the dis- cussion in terms of “victory” or “betrayal,” but to rely on sound professional and polit- ical explanations. Mr. Prystaiko has been at pains to stress that capitulation is not involved. On September 18 he told a parliamentary com- mittee: “No one is going to surrender Ukraine, and every person who is negotiat- ing is not necessarily a traitor.” Nevertheless, on September 19 former President Petro Poroshenko’s TV Channel 5 reported that around 100 protesters were demonstrating outside the Presidential Office with slogans such as “No Capitulation” and the “Normandy Conspiracy is State Treason.” Mr. Prystaiko has also indicated that the Ukrainian president will propose his own “Zelenskyy formula,” which entails a plan of gradual practical steps that “correspond to the expectations of the people of Ukraine.” If the Normandy Four summit, which is still expected to be held in Paris, fails, the presi- dent will seek to introduce “new dynamics,” namely expanding the format to include the United States and Britain. Therefore, Mr. Zelenskyy’s meeting with Mr. Trump will be important in this regard also. No. 38 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 5

UNA CELEBRATES 125 YEARS: A snapshot from history, 1940

Seen in this photo are members of Ukrainian National Association Branch 204 of New York, which was founded on August 1, A photo archive of UNA history has 1925. The branch’s founders were Mykola Vorobets, Petro Zadoretsky and Mykola Blyznak. Serving as the branch’s first offi- been launched on the UNA website. It is cers were Mr. Vorobets, president; Mr. Blyznak, secretary; and Mykhailo Vivchar, treasurer. The Jubilee Book of the Ukrainian a work in progress that will be expand- National Association published in commemoration of the UNA’s 40th anniversary (1936), lists Mr. Blyznak, Mr. Vorobets, Vasyl ed and refined. To take a look, go to Dobrotiy, Petro Sokalchuk and Ivan Chorniy as meritorious members of the branch. [Editor’s note: The names of the UNA unainc.org/una/the-una-is-125-years- activists are transliterated here from Ukrainian.] old/.

Children learn about Ukrainian fl ag, with a little assist from the UNA

Tanya Petroff WATERVLIET, N.Y. – On September 14, on their first day in Sadochok (preschool) children learned about the Ukrainian flag from the director of the School of Ukrainian Studies in Watervliet, N.Y., Tanya Petroff, who is also a teacher of Sadochok. The flags were donated by the Ukrainian National Association and given to the children by UNA Advisor Nicholas Fil, who is also secretary of UNA Branch 13 in Watervliet. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 No. 38

WINDOW ON EURASIA THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY A new year of community activity Moscow signed Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact It’s probably by pure chance that, just as our Ukrainian American community’s in part because it feared German-Polish attack activities get under way after the traditional summer hiatus, a major conference in New York City will examine the history and continuing activity of our community. by Paul Goble to justify the revision of borders in Eastern The Ukrainian Historical Encounters Series is presenting a special event dubbed Europe that the secret protocols of the “Celebrating the 125th Anniversary of the Organized Ukrainian American Moscow has long argued that Russia was Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact allowed. Community” at the prestigious Princeton Club of New York on September 21 (two forced to sign the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact According to one of the documents pro- days after these words are being written). Its sponsors are the Center for in August 1939 because Britain and France duced, Moscow had good reason to fear a U.S.-Ukrainian Relations (CUSUR), the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America were not willing to join an anti-Hitler coali- German-Polish alliance because it would (UCCA) and the Ukrainian National Association (UNA), which this year is celebrating tion. Now, it is offering an additional expla- have given Berlin even more arms and per- the 125th anniversary of its establishment. nation: it says the Kremlin feared that sonnel to invade the Soviet Union. By It may be happenstance that these community-related happenings coincide, but it unless it made a deal with Hitler, Germany reaching agreement with Hitler, Stalin thus is also quite serendipitous. The program coordinated by Prof. Walter Zaryckyj and Poland would jointly attack the USSR. prevented a Polish invasion. (CUSUR) and Tamara Olexy (UCCA) is designed to take a close look at the key seg- That is the substance of documents the The admittedly selective nature of the ments of our community life: our national organizations, religious life, cultural insti- Russian Defense Ministry has released documents put online makes this argument tutions, youth organizations and schools of Ukrainian studies, academia, and finan- online under the title “A Fragile Peace on convincing only to those who are prepared cial institutions and charitable foundations. In short – the entities that make our the Brink of War” (pakt1939.mil.ru), a col- to accept anything the Kremlin claims or community what it is today, the institutions that continue to play significant roles in lection that also includes Soviet reports who are as anti-Polish as many Russian that community’s direction. about the enthusiasm of Ukrainians and officials have often been. But this “trove” is The conference is to lead off with a panel discussion on what it calls the “foundation Belarusians in Poland about the chance to already being exploited to make the stones of the Ukrainian American community” – the UNA (our publisher), the live in the Soviet Union. Kremlin’s points about 1939. Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (UNWLA) and the UCCA – led by a On the one hand, this is nothing more And as such, it is less interesting as a his- representative of yet another foundational, indeed fundamental, institution: the than yet another attempt to muddy the torical source than as an indication of the Ukrainian press, or more precisely Svoboda. It was Svoboda, which was founded 126 waters about Joseph Stalin’s crime in mak- direction of Moscow’s propaganda line years ago and whose first issue rolled off the presses on September 15, 1893, that gave ing an alliance with Adolph Hitler that now (e.g., redstar.ru/hrupkij-mir-na- birth to the UNA, which in turn gave birth to this newspaper, The Ukrainian Weekly. opened the way to World War II in Europe. poroge-vojny/ and rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/5 Meanwhile, back in our local communities, September is the time when all our But on the other, it reflects Moscow’s long- d758ebb9a7947ed6347fd22?from=newsfe ed). usual Ukrainian activities resume their regular schedules: Ukrainian studies classes, standing anti-Polish attitudes and its desire music and dance lessons, scout meetings, scholarly presentations and lectures, film screenings, sports training, the meetings of so many organizations and committees that are responsible for countless events that enrich our lives. And, yes, there are some local Ukrainian festivals that stretch beyond the summer into early fall. Kremlin’s approach to World War II (Sometimes we wonder whether our calendars can possibly fit all these events and activities, and we complain that there just aren’t enough days for us to be able to underlines rejection of democratic path participate fully!) This multitude of activities does not simply happen on its own. It is important to by Paul Goble Mr. Amnuel, a filmmaker, producer and remember that we have dedicated community activists – volunteers – to thank for politician, argues that Moscow’s state- this abundance of significant offerings that benefit various segments of our large Many people of good will around the ments represent the final rejection by the world have been horrified by Moscow’s community. Are you, dear readers, among those essential volunteers? Putin regime of the path that democratic Stalinist defense of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Nor should we forget that we have strong institutions in our midst that financially Russia pursued after the collapse of com- Pact and its hysterical attacks on Poland for support these activities. Their monetary contributions, as well as donations in kind, munism and before the rise of the power not inviting Vladimir Putin to the commem- vertical dictatorship and thus put Vladimir play no small part in ensuring that these experiences and events, so rich and oration of the beginning of World War II, Putin’s regime beyond the pale of civilized rewarding for their participants, can be presented. Dear readers, are you members but they have often failed to recognize what humanity (kasparov.ru/material. and/or supporters of these vital institutions? Moscow’s statements mean, Grigory php?id=5D6BA9FD43AC2). Which brings us back to this weekend’s conference in New York. The full-day Amnuel says. Not only has Russia’s foreign affairs min- gathering promises to take “a fresh look at the highways and byways of Ukrainian ister now referred to Joseph Stalin’s USSR American life” by “visiting all dimensions” of the subject. The goal, of course, is to Paul Goble is a long-time specialist on as “our country,” but Moscow’s defense of pay homage to those who came before us and established our unique Ukrainian ethnic and religious questions in Eurasia the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, its explana- American community, to scrutinize where we are today and to look ahead to what who has served in various capacities in the tion of the origins of World War II, and its the future portends. (Look for a report on the proceedings in upcoming issues.) U.S. State Department, the Central attacks on Poland are in the same language Above all, this special presentation in the Ukrainian Historical Encounters Series Intelligence Agency and the International Stalin used. underscores that, in order to successfully move into the future, it is important to be Broadcasting Bureau, as well as at the Voice It is as if 1991 never happened and informed about the past of our organized Ukrainian American community. of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio means that the Kremlin, if not the people of Liberty and the Carnegie Endowment for Russia, has rejected the path democratic International Peace. The article above is Russia chose at that time. Consequently, reprinted with permission from his blog Moscow’s words about 1939 now are far called “Window on Eurasia” (http://windo- more significant and far more depressing Sept. Turning the pages back... woneurasia2.blogspot.com/). than many appear willing to acknowledge.

Five years ago, on September 24, 2014, Prime Minister 24 Arseniy Yatsenyuk of Ukraine spoke at the United Nations matters concerning relationships within the General Assembly. Australian... Ukrainian community, and between Australia and Ukraine. The AFUO is com- 2014 He reminded the audience that Ukraine was a co-founder of (Continued from page 1) the U.N., and in the face of threats to peace and stability for which posed of executive members who represent the organization was founded, Ukraine continues its struggle The exhibition features 26 large, poi- key facets of community life in Australia. gnant, black and white portraits. Next to against its larger neighbor, Russia. “Voices From Across the Ocean: each face is the survivor’s story, generating Mr. Yatsenyuk stated: Holodomor Photographic Exhibition” is on a very powerful and emotional experience “…Let me remind you the origin of the conflict that evolves in Ukraine. Is it a domestic display at the National Museum: Holodomor for viewers. Visitors are invited to write conflict? No. That’s true that my country has differences. And we are ready to handle and Victims Memorial in Kyiv until October 22. to tackle these differences inside our country. But the thing is that the origin of the conflict personal letters to the people is an invasion that was made by the Russian Federation. featured in the exhibition. “A P5 member violated the U.N. Charter, which is absolutely and entirely unacceptable Also promoted at the launch for a permanent U.N. Security Council member. It’s better for Russia to be an ‘insecurity’ event was Andries Pyrczs’ chap- member rather than a security one.” ter dedicated to the Holodomor Ukraine, the prime minister continued, voluntarily abandoned its nuclear arsenal with in Australian text book the signing of the Budapest Memorandum in 1994 that gave assurances for the protection “Twentieth Century 1: Between of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Russia, as a co-signer of this memoran- the Wars.” This is the first time dum, violated the agreement with the invasion and illegal annexation of Crimea and its the Holodomor has been includ- proxy war in eastern Ukraine. He noted that Russian regular combat troops were on ed in an Australian higher edu- Ukrainian territory. cation text book. Mr. Yatsenyuk thanked the U.N member states that overwhelmingly supported the U.N. The Australian Federation of resolution that upheld “Ukraine’s territorial integrity and condemned the illegal annexa- Ukrainian Organizations is an tion of Crimea by the Russian Federation.” umbrella group for 22 communi- In addition to Russia’s actions violating the U.N. Charter, Mr. Yatsenyuk underscored that ty organizations throughout AFUO Australia. As such it is widely Members of the exhibit’s curatorial team Janina (Continued on page 7) regarded as the “spokesbody” on Green and Halya Kostiuk. No. 38 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 7

FOR THE RECORD Appeals to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to resolve issue of state recognition of Plast

After Ukraine’s president rejected a law on state recognition of the Ukrainian scout- ing organization Plast, the Ukrainian World Congress, on September 4, and the Our other capital Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, on September 5, issued statements in sup- port of Plast. What do I mean by our other capital? Is city was divided, like Austria itself, into it Bohdan Khmelnytsky’s Chyhyryn (1648- American, British, French and Soviet sec- 1669), or Ivan Mazepa’s and Kyrylo tors, with shared jurisdiction in the central Ukrainian World Congress Ukraine’s law “On state recognition and Rozumovsky’s Baturyn (1687-1708 and First District. As Timothy Snyder relates in encouragement of the Plast National 1750-1764, respectively)? Or do I refer to “The Red Prince” (2008), Wilhelm von On September 4, 2019, President of Scouting Organization of Ukraine” by Kharkiv, capital of Soviet Ukraine in 1917- Habsburg, who had supported Ukrainian Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy vetoed the Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) 1934? No, what I have in mind is the capital political goals in 1918, worked with the law of Ukraine “On state recognition and extremely relevant and important. for western Ukrainians – though not a OUN and French intelligence at this peril- support of Plast – National Scouting Passage and adoption of this legislation Ukrainian capital – between 1772 and ous time. He was seized by Soviet soldiers Organization of Ukraine.” would not only help foster closer coopera- 1918, namely, Vienna. at the Südbahnhof on August 26, 1947, and The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) tion between Ukrainian and American To be sure, there was much to deplore died of tuberculosis in a prison hospital in considers the adoption by the Verkhovna youth; this legislation would also support about Habsburg rule, especially its inability Kyiv nearly a year later. Rada of Ukraine of the Law “On state recog- the development of the global scouting to remedy endemic rural poverty and its The Austrian State Treaty of May 15, nition and support of Plast – National movement, which includes scouts instruct- policy of allowing favored nationalities like 1955, ended the four-power occupation. Scouting Organization of Ukraine” as ed and organized under the Plast banner. the Poles and Hungarians to lord it over The restored nation was to be neutral. extremely important and timely. Furthermore, this law would assist in the lower-ranking ones like the Ruthenians Under Article 19, Austria was obligated to “This law will not only be the founda- preservation of Ukrainian identity of (most of whom eventually chose to identify maintain foreign war memorials, including tion for the necessary support and develop- Ukrainians, as well as instill Ukrainian ide- themselves with the resurgent Ukrainians a nearly 12-meter-high statue of a Red ment of the Plast scouting movement in the als in the upbringing of children. of the Russian Empire to the east). But Army soldier near the Hochstrahlbrunnen world and Ukraine particularly, but a basis Earlier, on June 20, 2019, the UCCA today, many Galicians look with nostalgia fountain. The Viennese, recalling the mass for the national-patriotic education of chil- wrote a letter to the President of Ukraine in to a time when Germans, Poles, Jews and rapes by the Soviet soldiery in 1945, irrev- dren and youth, a powerful unifier for support for the law on State Recognition Ukrainians, as well as Greeks and Ukraine and the diaspora, and a significant erently dubbed it the “Monument to the and Encouragement of the Plast National Armenians, could live side by side in a city factor in nurturing and preserving the Unknown Father.” Scouting Organization of Ukraine. like Lemberg (today’s Lviv) without killing Today, a resident of Lviv will find Vienna Ukrainian identity of Ukrainians in Ukraine If minor changes are needed in the text and throughout the world,” stated UWC each other – something for which they oddly familiar. Its medieval walls, like of the law adopted on May 30, 2019, in would exhibit an alarming propensity in Vienna’s, were mostly dismantled and President Paul Grod. order to achieve final passage, the UCCA Given the issues with the law adopted the decades after the Austro-Hungarian replaced with boulevards; its Poltva stream, urges the Office of the President of Ukraine collapse in October 1918. like Vienna’s Wien, was covered over. Under on May 30, 2019, as highlighted in the veto, to prepare as quickly as possible a new ver- the UWC appeals to the president of Our ancestors’ contacts with Vienna go Austria, the classicism, Biedermeier, roman- sion of the law with added amendments back before the 1772 First Partition of tic historicism, art nouveau and Sezession Ukraine to amend the legislation and and submit it to the Verkhovna Rada of resubmit the revised law to the Verkhovna Poland. Some joined the army that Polish modernism of Leopolitan architecture Ukraine as a matter of urgency. King John Sobieski recruited to help lift the echoed Viennese trends. Viennese-trained Rada of Ukraine for consideration as a pri- The UCCA, together with the Ukrainian ority. The UWC also appeals to the second Turkish siege of Vienna in 1683. architects worked there, and the Viennese World Congress (UWC), the international Although that may not have been quite the firm of Fellner and Helmer designed some Verkhovna Rada to consider and adopt the assembly of Ukrainian public organizations Law in support of Plast. civilization-saving turning point that some of the city’s buildings, including the Hotel representing over 20 million people, and make it out to be, while Sobieski’s memoirs George. (Jacek Purchla, “Patterns of The UWC and its member youth organi- numerous NGOs throughout Ukraine and zations are prepared to provide input to the have perpetuated a rather exaggerated Influence: Lviv and Vienna in the Mirror of the world, stands ready to assist in the pas- account of the role of his cavalry thunder- Architecture,” Harvard Ukrainian Studies president of Ukraine on revising the law. We sage and ratification of this vital legislation. anticipate a quick and effective resolution of ing down from the Kahlenberg, Ukrainians XXIV (1/4), 2000: 131-47). Vienna’s influ- The UCCA hopes for swift and effective take pride in their participation. Moreover, ence on Ukrainians was not limited, of this matter in cooperation with the presi- cooperation with the president of Ukraine dent and Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. the contribution of one Galician in particu- course, to Lviv; Fellner and Helmer also and Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada in resolving lar is undisputed. Yurii Kulchytsky (aka designed the opera house in Odesa. And Ukrainian Congress Committee the issue of state recognition of Plast, the Georg Franz Kolschitzky), from the village the artistic revolution that began in fin-de- of America National Scouting Organization of Ukraine. of Kulchytsi in what is now the Sambir dis- siecle Vienna could not but influence 20th trict of the Lviv region, knew the Turkish century painters, musicians, and writers The Ukrainian Congress Committee of EDITOR’S NOTE: Similar support for state language and customs. This enabled him to throughout Ukraine. America (UCCA), representing over 25 recognition of Plast, the National Scouting cross the lines with messages between the But some things stay in Vienna. The sub- regional and national associations of Organization of Ukraine, was expressed by besieged and starving Viennese and the tle sarcasm of that undefinable quality Ukrainian Americans, and the interests of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress in a international relief army. Kulchytsky also known as Wiener Schmäh has not pene- nearly 2 million Americans of Ukrainian Ukrainian-language letter to President found a use for the strange greenish pellets trated the Ukrainian character. Yet the elab- descent, considers the adoption of Zelenskyy dated June 21. left behind in piles by the fleeing Ottomans, orate manners, derived from Spanish court which the Viennese reportedly mistook for ritual as a means of aristocratic self-repre- camel dung. He roasted and ground them sentation, percolated down to pre-war imposing sanctions against Russia, and and brewed kahve – a bitter black drink Western Ukrainian society. They enjoyed a Turning... noted that maintaining sanctions is how to that the sweet-toothed Viennese improved revival in the 1990s as a reaction to Soviet start real talks and how to hammer out a (Continued from page 6) with the addition of milk or cream and boorishness and as an element of peace deal. “Not trust in words. We trust sugar. This he served at his famous café, zur Habsburg nostalgia. Russia had also violated resolutions on coun- only deeds and actions,” he added. Blauen Flasche (“Under the Blue Bottle”), Nostalgia itself seems peculiarly terterrorism that were passed by the U.N. Ukraine, he said, is committed to restor- near St. Stephen’s cathedral. Viennese. My grandfather lived in Vienna He highlighted the fact that Malaysia ing law and order. He urged the Russian Once Austria had annexed Galicia and during the hungry years of 1918-1919, but Airlines Flight 17 was shot down by a Federation to stick to its international obli- Bukovyna, the Ukrainian presence in the fondly recalled the Prater amusement park Russian-made surface-to-air missile, and gation to execute everything that was writ- capital became significant. In 1775, with its ferris wheel or Riesenrad. My par- said Ukraine mourns the 298 victims from ten in the Minsk agreements, reminding Empress Maria Theresa gave St. Barbara’s ents met there around the end of World the Netherlands, Australia, the United that Russia could not cherry-pick what Church to what were now called the Greek- War II, amid hunger, Allied bombing raids, Kingdom, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines requirements it chose to fulfill. Catholics. Since then, Ukrainian students of a flood of desperate refugees (locally and Germany. “Ukraine handed over an Mr. Yatsenyuk concluded: “Let me end theology, law, medicine and other subjects known as “burdensome foreigners”) and investigation to an independent body with a direct message to the Russian presi- have been drawn to the city and its 14th- abductions of students by the NKVD. But which is Dutch-led [the Joint Investigation dent: Mr. Putin, you can win a fight against century university. In 1893, Ivan Franko they would reminisce about Christmas car- Team (JIT) included representatives from the troops. But you will never win the fight defended his doctoral dissertation there. oling at St. Barbara’s and hiking in the Alps. Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the against the nation, the united Ukrainian The imperial court and legislature drew Perhaps that was youth, and the golden Netherlands and Ukraine],” he said. nation.” politicians and civil servants to Vienna. glow of memory. When I first visited “Every day, despite the ceasefire, we are Five years later, the situation has not After the fall of the empire, Western Vienna during my student years, I found it losing Ukrainian soldiers, we are losing changed as Ukraine continues to seek a for- Ukrainian leader Yevhen Petrushevych mysterious and romantic. Although it civilians and the shelling is still going on,” mula for peace. maintained a government in exile there remains my favorite, today I see it simply as he said. “The military option is definitely The 74th session of the U.N. General from 1919 to 1923. A congress held in the a beautiful and historic city. Perhaps that’s not the best one. So it is to be a comprehen- Assembly opened on September 17 and the city in 1929 founded the Organization of the disenchantment of old age – or just a general debate is held on September 24-30. sive approach which comprises diplomatic, Ukrainian Nationalists. During World War typically Viennese sentiment. financial, political and only at a last [resort] Source: “Ukrainian PM’s address to the II, the OUN recruited students and workers – military options,” Mr. Yatsenyuk said. U.N. General Assembly,” The Ukrainian in Vienna for the “Roland” expeditionary Andrew Sorokowski can be reached at He thanked the U.S. and the EU for Weekly, October 5, 2014. group. After the war, the heavily bombed [email protected]. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 No. 38 No. 38 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 9

San Francisco Friends of UCU hold third successful benefit banquet

by Anne Chermak Dillen sponsor. Along with longstanding support- ers, new guests were welcomed to the July SAN FRANCISCO – For the third straight 28 event, including IT innovation stars in year, friends of the Ukrainian Catholic Silicon Valley, and representatives from University (UCU) gathered in San Francisco academia and finance. in fellowship at a festive banquet to raise The event on the beautiful campus of the funds to benefit the university. IT leader University of San Francisco near Golden SoftServe Inc. was the principal corporate Gate Park began with a cocktail reception

Anne Chermak Dillen At the banquet benefiting the Ukrainian Catholic University, (from left) are: Lena and Igor Fesenko, Nataliya and Volodymyr Shram, Tanya Drohobytsky and Roman Drohobytsky. followed by an elegant dinner program SoftServe Vice-President Volodymyr during which guests viewed a film high- Shram gave guests an overview of the excit- lighting UCU’s achievements and goals ing work being done by his company in before hearing from keynote speaker John developing IT solutions for a wide range of Hewko, secretary general of Rotary clients, and providing dynamic career Guests in San Francisco, young and old, gather in support of the Ukrainian Catholic International, who recounted his experi- opportunities and serving as a bridge University (from left): Yaroslav Azhnyuk, Yana Rathman, Marko, Ostap and Daria ence working in Ukraine in the heady days Korkuna, Andrey Axelrod and Alena Datsenko. following independence. (Continued on page 16)

as a Ukrainian citizen, but he would be oners home to Ukraine, expecting thereby to along on the matter of a bilateral summit Ukraine accepts... immunized against extradition if made a boost Mr. Medvedchuk’s and his party’s within a Normandy meeting. Moscow has Russian citizen (Ukrayinska Pravda, RFE/ political rating in Ukraine. The last such been raising its preconditions. Meanwhile, (Continued from page 2) RL, September 11, 12). exchange took place in December 2017, after Ukrainian troops at the front remain under cares deeply about the plight of Ukrainian One way or another, it would not be sur- which President Poroshenko ended Mr. strict orders to not respond to enemy fire. captives in Russia, in contrast to Russia’s prising for Moscow to ask the JIT and the Medvedchuk’s mediating role. In this context, three Ukrainian volunteer manifest callousness toward its own con- Dutch to take up this matter henceforth Russian propaganda and President Putin battalions were disarmed on September 11 federates detained in Ukraine. While Mr. with the Donetsk “people’s republic’s” personally worked to raise Mr. (Ukrayinska Pravda, September 11). Putin never staked his popularity ratings (DPR) authorities. Such a move would be in Medvedchuk’s profile during Ukraine’s Ukrainian soldiers were killed and injured on freeing those prisoners and never faced line with Moscow’s quest for obtaining de recent presidential and parliamentary elec- every week at the front during August; and pressure from below to have them freed, facto international acceptance of its proxies tion campaigns (see EDM, August 5). Mr. four troops were killed in the first week of Mr. Zelenskyy did make such promises dur- as interlocutors in their own right. Putin, however, agreed with Ukrainian September alone, until the September 7 ing his recent election campaign, raising Hundreds of citizens of Ukraine remain President Zelenskyy by telephone, on release of prisoners. popular expectations and, by the same in detention in Russia and the Russian- August 7, to establish a direct channel The September 7 release was negotiated token, pressure on him from below to deliv- occupied territories after the September 7 between the two presidents’ offices for down to the wire in the bilateral channel. er on these promises. And even as the mutual release of 35 for 35. The term in handling mutual prisoner releases (and As late as September 5, it seemed not yet Kremlin redoubles its intransigence in the official usage is “detained persons.” possibly political matters as well). Mr. finalized (possibly held up by Dutch Normandy and Minsk negotiation process- According to the Ukrainian Parliament’s Zelenskyy and his team may well have requests to President Zelenskyy’s office to es, President Zelenskyy’s team professes human rights ombudsman, Ludmila expected that a direct channel to Mr. Putin keep Mr. Tsemakh in Ukraine). That day, Mr. optimism that the mutual prisoner release Denisova (she handles the negotiations on would exclude Mr. Medvedchuk from the Putin hinted that he could bring Mr. opens the window of opportunity for some freeing detained persons within the Minsk politically rewarding game of prisoner Medvedchuk back into the game. Speaking abstract notion of peace. process), Ukraine has specifically identified releases, in favor of Mr. Zelensky’s team, to an international forum in Vladivostok, 113 of its citizens detained in Russia as a but this was not so. Putin stated: “We are about to finalize the Part II consequence of this war; the actual number In that phone call, a palpably frightened talks about the prisoners’ exchange, includ- Mr. Tsemakh, who topped Russia’s prior- is almost certainly higher. For its part, the Mr. Zelenskyy (as seen on his videotaped ing the talks that we [also] conduct with the ity list in a recent prisoner release agree- Security Service of Ukraine has identified briefing recounting the call – Ukrinform, official authorities… I know that Mr. ment between Moscow and Kyiv, was flown 227 detainees held by the Donetsk and August 7) petitioned Mr. Putin to intercede Medvedchuk feels very strongly about from Ukraine to the Russian capital; he may Luhansk “people’s republics” (Interfax- with “the other side” (the Donetsk-Luhansk some of the Ukrainian detainees in Russia.” now be back home in the Russian-occupied Ukraine, September 10). Ukraine holds far forces) to stop firing, after they had killed This was an insinuation that the Kremlin Donbas territory. fewer, including local citizens who fought four Ukrainian soldiers in the preceding may have been talking to Mr. Medvedchuk The Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team or otherwise operated on behalf of Russia night. Having thus conceded the high as well, and could award him the victory (JIT) and other Dutch authorities requested in this hybrid war. ground, psychologically and politically, to Mr. lap in Ukraine. As Mr. Putin spoke, Russian that Ukraine’s Presidential Office not deliver Freeing the prisoners is a highly sensi- Putin as would-be mediator, Mr. Zelenskyy television showed Mr. Medvedchuk smirk- Mr. Tsemakh to Russia after he was released tive political issue in Ukraine, where the nevertheless asked the Russian president to ing in the audience (TASS, Russian TV from Ukrainian detention (September 5). society cares deeply about their plight and consent to a face-to-face meeting within the Channel One, September 5). On that same They then requested that Moscow extradite state leaders are expected to strive to bring next few weeks, as part of a Normandy day, the Kyiv Appeals Court removed the Mr. Tsemakh, once he was delivered to them home. Russian attitudes differ mark- Group summit. Mr. Zelenskyy and his team last obstacle, at the Presidential Office’s Russia (September 7). edly from Ukraine’s at both the popular and apparently project that group picture as a behest, by freeing Mr. Tsemakh. The JIT and the Netherlands have raised leadership levels. Moreover, Russia holds backdrop for a bilateral Zelenskyy-Putin Mr. Zelenskyy telephoned Mr. Putin Mr. Tsemakh’s status from key witness to many more prisoners from Ukraine than meeting that would “end the war.” The again on September 7, the date of release of actual suspect in that crime. Meanwhile, Mr. the other way around; and most of those Kremlin can only welcome a bilateraliza- the 35-for-35 prisoners. They agreed that Tsemakh’s family is hinting, on the Internet, held in Ukraine are apparently local citi- tion of the negotiations while continuing additional prisoner exchanges would take that he has returned to the Donbas. Whether zens of Ukraine who served Russia in this the multilateral format in parallel. place, without indicating a timeframe. true or not, claiming that Mr. Tsemakh is undeclared war. The Kremlin, therefore, It was in that context, on August 7, that According to the Zelenskyy office readout, located in what is legally Ukrainian territory does not have to deal with public or family Mr. Putin granted Mr. Zelenskyy’s request they agreed that they would set the date for makes it easier for Russia to dismiss the demands to “bring them home.” Russia for direct negotiations on prisoner releases a summit “soon.” But, according to the extradition requests. Ukraine’s Presidential exploits this political-psychological advan- through a bilateral channel (usable also for Kremlin’s readout, they only “exchanged Office (at whose behest the Kyiv Appeals tage over Ukraine. political matters). This bilateral channel cir- views about that possibility,” and Mr. Putin Court freed Mr. Tsemakh) added to this legal The Minsk accords call for the exchange cumvents the Minsk Contact Group, one of “underlined the need for preparations to murk by delivering this Ukrainian citizen to of detained persons. President Poroshenko’s whose subgroups is officially mandated to ensure results” (Ukrinform, TASS, Russia, maintaining secrecy on whether or administration (2014-2019) succeeded in negotiate prisoner releases under the September 7). Thus, Mr. Zelenskyy’s display not Mr. Tsemakh had requested and releasing almost 3,000 from Russian captivi- Minsk accords and remains in session. As a of impatience and eagerness allows the received Russian citizenship. If not, Kyiv ty (Ukrayinska Pravda, September 12). Mr. goodwill gesture to Mr. Putin, after that Kremlin to string him along. acted unlawfully, as Ukraine’s Constitution Poroshenko accepted the political risk of phone call, Mr. Zelenskyy dismissed the precludes handing over citizens of Ukraine mandating his adversary, the Kremlin’s tried-and-tested Ukrainian negotiator The article above is reprinted from to other countries (the Dutch had not friend Viktor Medvedchuk, to negotiate Roman Bessmertny from the Minsk Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission from requested extradition from Ukraine). Russia those exchanges. The Kremlin allowed Mr. Political Subgroup. its publisher, the Jamestown Foundation, could theoretically extradite Mr. Tsemakh Medvedchuk to bring whole groups of pris- The Kremlin is stringing Mr. Zelenskyy www.jamestown.org. 10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 No. 38

Ukraine’s president... (Continued from page 1) After the vote, Mr. Parubiy transmitted the law for the next and final step before its enactment: the president’s signature. The law sat on the president’s desk until September 4. More than a century of activity The Ukrainian scouting movement known as Plast was formed in 1911 in Lviv. Throughout the more than 100 years of its activity, Plast had endured various histori- cal trials: from world wars, when Plast scouts showed their mettle under extreme circumstances, to a period of underground activity when Plast was outlawed by the Polish state in 1930. During the Soviet occupation, Plast was banned in Ukraine, so all of its methodology and traditions were kept alive by the diaspora in different parts of the world: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Artem Zhukov Argentina, etc. Eventually, Plast renewed its activity in The opening of a new school year of Plast activity in Kyiv was held in 2018 against the backdrop of the Verkhovna Rada and the Ukraine in 1989; thus, this year Plast mem- Mariyinsky Palace. bers are celebrating the 30-year jubilee of proposed new law on state recognition and fighting for Ukraine’s independence. In addition, the Ukrainian Greek- the restored movement in their homeland. support of Plast could form the basis for a Among them are six Plast scouts who were Catholic Church and many diaspora organi- Today Plast has around 12,000 members in more effective form of partnership. Notably, killed in the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian zations have sent letters of support to the 20 countries – 8,500 of them in Ukraine – the U.S., Canada, Israel, Singapore, war. These hundreds of Plast members are Presidential Office. which makes it the largest Ukrainian youth Australia, and other countries already have honored in the proposed law. President Zelenskyy’s proposal regard- movement in the world. Last year, Plast vol- similar legislation recognizing their nation- As well, the law expresses support for ing the proposed law noted: “Analysis of the unteers in Ukraine invested more than al scout organizations. the continuous activity, over the course of law shows that the definition of Plast 668,000 hours in working with children more than a century, of Plast, “which edu- National Scouting Organization of Ukraine What’s in the proposed law? and teens during camps, trips, competi- cated tens of thousands of active citizens – as the only scouting organization in tions, mentorship and regular group meet- What exactly is included in this legisla- educators and scholars, businesspeople, Ukraine... creates benefits and privileges for ings. tion? physicians, journalists, church activists, sol- its functioning and receiving state support, Plast had various forms of cooperation First of all, there is a statement regard- diers.” and also creates risks that already existing with the state once Ukraine re-established ing the state’s recognition of Plast’s “histor- The strategic mission of Plast is to devel- scouting organizations could not continue its independence. For example, in the last ic contribution to the civic education of op a prosperous Ukraine by educating able performing any activity and new ones three years, Plast scouts activities had children and youths, to the achievement citizens. Brought up in Ukrainian scouting could not be created.” The main proposal of some financial support directly from the and establishment of Ukraine’s statehood.” were not only such political and military the president calls for broadening state national budget. It was foreseen that the More than 500 Plast members have died notables as Organization of Ukrainian support to include more organizations, and Nationalists leader Stepan Bandera and not only Plast. Critics say that could lead to Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) the establishment of more youth organiza- Commander Roman Shukhevych, but also tions based on scouting methodology economist Bohdan Hawrylyshyn, Ukrainian merely for the sake of financial support Catholic Patriarch Lubomyr Husar, U.S. from the state. astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Responding to the strong public interest Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia surrounding this issue, Plast released an Freeland and Ukrainian Catholic official statement on September 6 that Archbishop-Metropolitan Borys Gudziak. emphasized the essential part of the legis- The legislation recognizes the Plast lation: state recognition of the Plast move- scouting movement in Ukraine and the ment and its contribution to the establish- world, and its unique role in educating ment and development of Ukraine’s state- Ukrainian children and youths, and makes hood. “In terms of the ongoing discussion, it impossible for other organizations to we ask the Parliament to accept the pro- claim Plast’s legacy as their own. posals for the law and remove the [refer- The practical side of the law includes ences to] direct financial support from the forms of cooperation with governmental state,” Plast officials declared. institutes and mechanisms of support. The Plast scouting in Ukraine has now start- legislation outlines the decision-making ed a massive crowdfunding campaign to process regarding financial support for continue its development. (Additional Plast on both the national and the local lev- information on Plast programs and finan- els. It stated aim is to help Ukrainian scout- cial plans, as well as an option to support ing engage more young people in civic edu- the movement, may be found at plast.org. cation with patriotic values. ua/donate.) The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), In the meantime, the parliamentary the Ukrainian Congress Committee of Committee on Youth and Sports is prepar- America and the Ukrainian Canadian ing an updated version of the legislation Congress have publicly supported the law of and will propose it to the entire Parliament. Ukraine “On state recognition and support The next committee meeting on the topic of of Plast National Scouting Organization of Plast support could be anytime in the next Ukraine.” (See the statements published on few weeks or months. Plast officials are page 7 of this issue.) They argue that this participating in discussions aimed at legislation is extremely important to the broadening overall state support of civil future of Ukraine and timely. society. “This law will not only be the foundation As losing financial support from the for the necessary support and development national budget is almost inevitable, Plast of the Plast scouting movement in the in Ukraine plans to develop all of its educa- world and Ukraine particularly, but a basis tional programs by seeking alternative for the national-patriotic education of chil- funding from businesses and individual dren and youth, a powerful unifier for patrons. Leaders of Plast, which is already Ukraine and the diaspora, and a significant active in 23 of Ukraine’s oblasts, say the factor in nurturing and preserving the organization plans to continue working Ukrainian identity of Ukrainians in Ukraine toward its goal of giving every child in and throughout the world,” stated UWC Ukraine the opportunity to join Ukrainian President Paul Grod. scouting. No. 38 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 11

UCCA Binghamton organizes annual celebration of Ukraine’s independence

by Lubomyr Zobniw BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – Since 1950, the local branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) has organized an annual celebration of Ukrainian Independence Day at Binghamton City Hall with a flag-rais- ing and program. Every 10 years, the community also remembers the Holodomor at City Hall with a program and informative display. This year, the UCCA combined celebra- tion of the 28th anniversary of Ukraine’s renewed indepen- dence and a commemoration of the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor in one program. Victor Czumak emceed this event. The Rev. Teodor Czabala, pastor of Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church, the Rev. Ivan Synevsky of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Richard Bell Orthodox Church, and Vitali Ilchishin of the Together for Ukraine Foundation at First Ukrainian Pentecostal Church Participants of the Ukrainian Independence Day program with the celebratory banner. reminded the audience of the power of the “Prayer for the current Russian aggression. United States has been fortunate that it has only one Ukraine” and the sacrifices made to help Ukraine survive Lubomyr Zobniw, chairman of the Binghamton UCCA Independence Day, on the Fourth of July, to celebrate and is branch, thanked Binghamton City Hall for welcoming the fortunate it does not have a powerful aggressive empire- Ukrainian community. He noted that, for almost 20 years, building neighbor that invades and constantly seizes neigh- Mayor Richard C. David has taken part in celebrating and boring countries’ territory, Mr. Stets pointed out. commemorating Ukraine’s historic events, first as assistant Stephan Wasylko, a retired minister counselor with the to the mayor and now as mayor. U.S. Foreign Service, thanked the New York State’s legisla- Mayor David and Mr. Zobniw shared recollections from tive bodies, the Senate and the Assembly, for their broad- earlier years. These city hall events were especially impor- based support in adopting legislative resolutions on May 1 tant to Maria Zobniw, who was killed during the shooting and May 16 “Commemorating the 85th Anniversary of the massacre at the American Civic Association while helping Ukrainian Famine-Genocide, Known as the Holodomor.” He others. She took personal pride in organizing the Ukrainian thanked local legislators for supporting the resolution and Independence Day and Holodomor commemorations at highlighted the phrase, “Ukraine Remembers and The Binghamton City Hall and believed Ukrainian history World Acknowledges,” referencing the Holodomor display teaches Americans that national independence is precious placed next to the podium. and hard earned, and that we should share our Ukrainian Mr. Czumak recited in English the “Prayer for Ukraine,” heritage within our local community. This year marks 10th which served as an introduction to Eugene Czebiniak, choir anniversary of Ms. Zobniw’s last birthday. director at Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church, who Mayor David then presented the Binghamton’s sang the prayer in Ukrainian. Ukrainian Independence Day 2018 proclamation. After the “Pledge of Allegiance” and the singing of the Taras Stets gave a historic commentary for the occasion, Ukrainian national anthem, participants embraced each At the Binghamton, N.Y., celebration of Ukrainian covering past and current challenges for Ukraine and les- other, while admiring each other’s embroidered finery, and Independence Day, Victor Czumak (at podium), Mayor sons for every American. “This independence commemo- spoke with attending TV stations, WBNG and WIVT. The Richard David (right) and Lubomyr Zobniw (left) with rates Ukraine’s struggle for survival across centuries of for- Binghamton Press and the Sun Newspapers also were participants of the program. eign occupation,” he said. For over two centuries, the present to report on the event.

Ukrainians of Hunter commemorate Independence Day

by Irene Sawchyn Doll This observation led to the most important outcome of Dr. Nynka’s research, which dealt with the question of JEWETT, N.Y. – The Ukrainian community centered in objectivity in the press in Ukraine. The interviewed jour- Hunter, N.Y., gathered on Sunday, August 25, to celebrate nalists were split on this topic. Half of the journalists Ukraine’s 28th Independence Day with a commemorative believed that journalists must remain completely objec- program held at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic tive in their reporting. The others felt that the degree of Church’s Grazhda community hall. objectivity can be moderated by two mitigating factors: Dr. Irene Sawchyn Doll, as emcee, invited Father Vasyl that the Russian-driven press is subjective to the point of Kadylo to open the program with a prayer for the people of streaming false news, and that under war conditions it Ukraine. She then introduced the keynote speaker, Dr. may be inappropriate to report negative aspects of the Andrew Nynka, who gave a presentation titled, “Examining Ukrainian military and military efforts. The latter position, Ukrainian Journalists’ Ethical Beliefs Amid Pluralism, which may be considered more patriotic, hazards the dan- Propaganda and War.” ger of permitting the military to function without checks Dr. Nynka had spent a year in Ukraine as a Fulbright and oversights. Scholar, during which he was a lecturer at the Ukrainian The interviewees indicated to Dr. Nynka that they had Catholic University in Lviv as well as at the National the freedom to report on any topic as they felt appropriate, University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Kyiv. During his time as long as the topics did not reflect negatively on the oli- in Ukraine, and in subsequent years, he researched the pre- garchs’/owners’ interests. sentation topic as part of his dissertation thesis. Dr. Nynka Dr. Nynka’s presentation was enthusiastically received received his Ph.D. in 2018 from the Philip Merrill College of by the capacity audience, who engaged the speaker in a Journalism at the University of Maryland. lively question and answer session. The presentation at the Grazhda encompassed part of The artistic portion of the program was provided by Dr. Nynka’s thesis. He conducted in-depth interviews with Melania Nynka Vira Pavlishyn of New York City, who entertained the audi- Grazhda program participants: (from left) performer Ukrainian reporters from across Ukraine, probing and ence with a moving recitation of the poem “Chervona Vira Pavlishyn, keynote speaker Dr. Andrew Nynka and recording their ethical beliefs and responses to the chal- program organizer Dr. Irene Sawchyn Doll. Kalyna,” written by an unknown author, chosen to com- lenges facing journalists in Ukraine. Dr. Nynka specifically memorate the 100th anniversary of the Ukrainian focused on the dialogue that is ongoing in contemporary interviewed journalists knew of, and wanted to adhere to, Revolution. Mrs. Pavlishyn ended with two humorous sto- Ukraine on free speech and objectivity in reportage, partic- the BBC standards of ethics, which sets the norm for ries, much to the delight of the audience. ularly under the pressure of reporting on the war in east- Western reporting. Two dominant factors affect journalists’ The program concluded with a communal rendition of ern Ukraine and the changing political environment in ability to maintain these norms and set the tone for how “Oy, U Luzi Chevona Kalyna,” led by church cantor Stepan Ukraine’s government. journalists can operate. One is that the media in Ukraine are Korostil. “I wanted to [ask] journalists: What is their perspective predominantly owned, funded and influenced by oligarchs Dr. Sawchyn Doll, who organized the event under the of their role in a democratic… post-Soviet society where for and politicians. Second, these oligarchs’ ownership is pri- auspices of the St. John the Baptist Parish Council, thanked the past 70 years journalism was a mouthpiece of the gov- marily driven by a desire for influence in the political and the participants for their support. The attendees expressed ernment,” said Dr. Nynka. business arenas, rather than for financial profit through their appreciation of the event during the coffee hour pre- The speaker told the attentive audience that all 31 of the advertising and subscriptions, as it is in the United States. pared by Natalia Korostil. 12 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 No. 38

focusing on security and defense, infrastruc- in the Donetsk region on September 11, nel for nearly a decade. Others seen in the NEWSBRIEFS ture and quality road repairs, and put the according to a police statement. photo were: Presidential Office head individual at the front and center of the Photographs published by the National Andriy Bohdan, who was Mr. Kolomoisky’s (Continued from page 2) state’s development – we need to finish Police showed artillery shells, rocket-pro- personal lawyer and with whom Mr. 28.2 hrv per U.S. dollar. In August 2014, reforming education and health care,” Mr. pelled grenades, boxes of bullets and crates Zelenskyy flew at least five times starting in then-President Petro Poroshenko’s adminis- Honcharuk said. (RFE/RL’s Ukrainian of explosives that were turned in. National January from Kyiv to Tel Aviv, where the oli- tration introduced a 1.5 percent automatic Service, with reporting by Novoye Vremya, Police First Deputy Chairman Vyacheslav garch was residing at that time in self- deduction from monthly salaries to contrib- Ukrayinska Pravda and Bloomberg) Abroskin oversaw the transfer along with imposed exile; Prime Minister Oleksiy members of the military and the country’s Honcharuk, who managed the social-media ute to the defense budget as Kyiv sought to Volunteer battalions turn in weapons upgrade its outdated Soviet-style army and security services. The battalions were campaign during Mr. Zelenskyy’s run for confront a foe who was at times better Three volunteer battalions that for years among the last units composed purely of office; and first presidential aide Serhiy equipped. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s fought for Kyiv against Russia-backed mili- volunteer soldiers fighting in the five-year Shefir, a co-founder with Mr. Zelenskyy of administration has indicated that it wants to tants in eastern Ukraine have handed over war that has killed more than 13,000 peo- the Studio Kvartal-95 production company cancel the mandatory defense budget their weapons to law enforcement. The ple. Most of Ukraine’s volunteer battalions and a former director of the studio. (RFE/ deductible. It’s not clear whether the cur- Sheikh Mansur battalion, the battalion of were incorporated into military and police RL’s Ukrainian Service) rent draft of the budget includes such a pro- the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists structures in 2014 and 2015. (RFE/RL) Former NBU chief cites police raid vision. Mr. Honcharuk said the budget has (OUN), and the 8th battalion of the EU extends sanctions to March 2020 been registered with parliament and should Ukrainian Volunteer Army voluntarily sur- Valeria Gontareva, the former chief of be worked over by November 2. “We’re rendered their arms to the National Police The European Council stated on the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), says September 12 that it has extended the her apartment in Kyiv was raided by law restrictive measures over actions under- enforcement officers. “Ten people in bullet- mining or threatening the territorial integri- proof vests forced their way with crowbars ty, sovereignty and independence of into my place of residence on Velyka Ukraine for a further six months, until Zhytomyrska [Street] in Kyiv and are con- TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL Walter Honcharyk (973) 292-9800 x3040 March 15, 2020. The measures consist of an ducting a search,” Ms. Gontareva told the or e-mail [email protected] asset freeze and travel restrictions. They Interfax news agency on September 12, currently apply to 170 persons and 44 enti- adding that the men were masked and ties. The relevant information and state- armed. Ms. Gontareva said that no one was SERVICES PROFESSIONALS ment of reasons for the listing of these per- in the apartment when the search was con- sons and entities have been updated as nec- ducted. She said local authorities in Kyiv, essary. Other EU measures in place in including the prosecutor-general and response to the crisis in Ukraine include: police, knew that her current residence is economic sanctions targeting specific sec- in London. Ukraine’s State Bureau for tors of the Russian economy, currently in Investigations neither confirmed nor place until January 31, 2020; restrictive rejected the report about the search, but measures in response to the illegal annexa- said that offices of the state-owned military tion of Crimea and Sevastopol, limited to the concern Ukroboronprom were being territory of Crimea and Sevastopol, current- searched over a probe of alleged misdeeds ly in place until June 23, 2020.” (Ukrainian by the former NBU leadership in 2016. A Canadian Congress Daily Briefing) week earlier, Ms. Gontareva said that unknown attackers burned a car belonging МАРІЯ ДРИЧ Kuchma: No to ‘unacceptable’ concessions to her daughter-in-law in front of her resi- Ліцензований Продавець Leonid Kuchma, the Ukrainian presi- dence in Kyiv on the night of September 4. Страхування Життя dent’s envoy for peace talks with Russia- On August 26, a car ran over Ms. МАRІA DRICH backed militants has stressed that Kyiv Gontareva’s foot in London, sending her to Licensed Life Insurance Agent should not make unacceptable concessions the hospital with broken bones. She said on Ukrainian National Assn., Inc. to Russia. Relations between Russia and September 9 that she might apply for politi- 2200 Route 10, Parsippany, NJ 07054 Ukraine have been strained since 2014, cal asylum in Britain, alleging that the inci- Tel.: 973-292-9800 ext. 3035 when Russia illegally annexed Ukraine’s dents indicated pressure imposed on her e-mail: [email protected] Crimean peninsula and began backing mili- by Ukrainian authorities. Ms. Gontareva’s tants in eastern Ukraine. In his remarks on efforts to clean up Ukraine’s financial sec- September 13, Mr. Kuchma said Kyiv can- tor as the NBU chairwoman in 2014-2018 OPPORTUNITIES not accept trade-offs, such as approving a irked wealthy oligarchs, who critics say plan for the militants to hold elections in have treated the country’s banks like their areas they control in the Luhansk and private coffers. (RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Earn extra income! Donetsk regions without Ukrainian over- Service, with reporting by Interfax) The Ukrainian Weekly is looking sight. “The talk about Donbas elections has Arson suspected at Gontareva’s home for advertising sales agents. been constant. What elections are you talk- For additional information contact ing about when armed people keep walk- The former governor of the National Walter Honcharyk, Advertising Manager, ing around? Elections can be held after Bank of Ukraine says her home outside of The Ukrainian Weekly, 973-292-9800, ext 3040. troops and heavy weaponry are out of Kyiv was burned to the ground overnight in Ukraine, when Ukrainian authorities are an apparent case of arson. Speaking to established, and when journalists are let RFE/RL by phone from her home in in,” Mr. Kuchma, Ukraine’s president from London, Valeria Gontareva said that some- 1994 to 2005, was quoted as saying by one had thrown a Molotov cocktail at her KULINSKI MEMORIALS residence in the village of Horenychi, set- 809 SOUTH MAIN STREET • MANVILLE, NJ 08835 Interfax. Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France – the so-called Normandy format of ting it ablaze in the early morning hours of TEL. 908-722-3130 FAX 908-253-0027 negotiations – last met in October 2016. Mr. September 17, in what she believes is an TOLL FREE 800-458-5467 [email protected] Kuchma expressed concern that France and attack related to her time as central-bank Germany may now push Ukrainian chief from June 2014 to May 2017. • Serving Ukrainian families for over 60 years President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make Ukraine’s National Police said in a state- • Over 40 granite colors to choose from concessions. “Zelenskyy will have a very ment that CCTV cameras at the home • Custom etchings hard time – it will be one against three peo- showed an unknown person hopping over ple,” Mr. Kuchma said. (RFE/RL, with a fence on the property, which Ms. • House appointments available Gontareva said was uninhabited at the time • Serving the tri-state area reporting by RFE/RL correspondent Christopher Miller, AP, Interfax and TASS) of the incident, at about 3 a.m. local time. • 5 minutes from South Bound Brook, NJ “It’s absolutely awful... the house was com- Zelenskyy talks ‘business’ with Kolomoisky pletely burned down,” she said, adding that it was the latest in a worrying string of inci- A picture posted on the Zelenskyy dents targeting her or her family. In a state- administration’s Facebook page showed ment on Facebook, President Volodymyr President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meeting Zelenskyy called the fire “a brutal crime” oligarch and former business associate Ihor and said that law enforcement agencies Kolomoisky on September 10, with a mes- should make the case a top priority. “In sage stating they spoke about “issues of Ukraine, everyone should feel protected, conducting business in Ukraine.” They also regardless of their past or current positions focused on the energy industry, the mes- and political views,” he said. “The right to sage said, reminding visitors to the page security and the right to private property that at a business forum in June, Mr. must be inviolable.” On Twitter, Internal Zelenskyy called on “big business” to invest Affairs Minister Arsen Avakov called the in infrastructural projects in eastern fire “unacceptable.” Police said that “mea- Ukraine and “help the state resolve social sures are being taken to locate and identify problems.” Mr. Zelenskyy’s comedy shows aired on Mr. Kolomoisky’s television chan- (Continued on page 15) No. 38 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 13 14 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 No. 38 No. 38 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 15

try,” Mr. Avakov said. Ms. Gontareva and her NEWSBRIEFS family have faced several threats and violent incidents in recent months. She told RFE/RL (Continued from page 12) she believed they are related and that her the person who committed the destruction enemies, including tycoon Ihor Kolomoisky, of property.” While investigators were still on are going after her over her decision while the ground, Mr. Avakov suggested a possible governor of the National Bank of Ukraine in political motive behind the fire, saying he 2016 to nationalize PrivatBank. PrivatBank, thought it was set now to coincide with the the country’s largest lender, was owned by Kyiv visit of members of the International Mr. Kolomoisky when regulators found a Monetary Fund (IMF). “Whoever ordered $5.5 billion black hole in its balance sheet. It and executed it at the time of the IMF mis- was nationalized soon after and is now over- sion’s arrival in Ukraine is not just an arson- seen by the Finance Ministry. (Christopher ist, he is an enemy who is hurting his coun- Miller of RFE/RL)

The Ukrainian Music Institute of America (UMIA) is currently registering students for the 2019-2020 new school year. Non-Ukrainians welcome. Learn piano, violin, bandura (Ukrainian folk instrument), guitar, accordion, wood ute (sopilka), voice or music theory, depending on the branch, from a highly quali ed specialist. Learn masterpieces of Ukrainian and international classical music, contemporary works. Earn certi cates and diplomas according to the program of study. UMIA branches operate in the following cities: Brooklyn - Anastasia Antoniv 347-564-4357 Detroit - Iryna Svytka 248-631-7589 Morristown - Laryssa Krupa-Slobodyanik 973-993-1331 Newark-Irvington-Passaic - Olesya Hryvnak 973-641-7144 New York - Elmira Romanyshyn 718-207-6985 Philadelphia - Oleksandra Penkalsky 215-677-7226 Stamford and Whippany - Lilia Kushnir 917-741-4273 For further information, please contact the above Branch Directors. 16 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 No. 38

Competition fosters patriotism among youth of Ukraine UUARC PHILADELPHIA – The contest “Going from Childhood to Taras” is one of many programs in Ukraine sponsored by the United Ukrainian American Relief Committee (UUARC). The purpose of this competition is to promote and foster patriotism and identity among the youth of Ukraine through study and recitations of poems by Taras Shevchenko. The winners of the contest – 28 children from Luhansk Oblast (in May), 27 each from the oblasts of Ivano-Frankivsk and Donetsk (in June), and 28 from Mykolayiv Oblast (in August) – were rewarded with a trip to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and Kaniv, where the poet is buried. In Kaniv, they paid their respects to the national bard of Ukraine, recited his works and sang songs. The children enjoyed an excursion to the Shevchenko Museum and also to Monk’s Hill (“Chernecha Hora”), where they could take in the amazing scenery of the mighty Dnipro River. In Kyiv, they visited various memorable sites: St. Sophia Square, St. Michael Square and the Heroes’ Alley of the Heavenly Hundred, dedicat- ed to those who perished on the Maidan during the Revolution of Dignity. The children returned home – to Ivano-Frankivsk, Luhansk, Donetsk and Mykolaiv oblasts – tired, but happy. Such contests not only allow them to see the beautiful capital of their country and Shevchenko’s buri- al mound, but also enable them to experience life-changing moments in UUARC their attitude toward their native land. Children from Ivano-Frankivsk during their trip to Kaniv.

With Mr. Putin’s approval ratings falling since his 2018 re- Ukraine’s foreign... election and his political party taking a beating in a Moscow The ‘Steinmeier...’ election on September 8, a senior Western diplomat in Kyiv (Continued from page 3) also noted that it might be a good time for the Russian presi- (Continued from page 3) explore what they want to do.” dent to turn the country’s attention elsewhere. in the presence of foreign troops and mercenaries; also, “He could use a win too,” the diplomat said of Mr. Putin, security guarantees are required. Delicate balance adding that there were also economic incentives. “The Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has empha- Mr. Zelenskyy made establishing peace in eastern armed conflict is costing [Moscow] a lot of money, and the sized that local elections in the Donbas can be held only Ukraine a key promise in his hugely successful presidential sanctions we’ve put in place are hurting Russia’s economy.” after Russian troops are withdrawn and that they should and parliamentary election campaigns. Analysts say that Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said last week that Russia be held in accordance with Ukrainian legislation. will allow him more flexibility in peace talks than his pre- wanted to hold the meeting, but that three preconditions Foreign Affairs Minister Prystaiko emphasized that no decessor, Petro Poroshenko. should be met beforehand. These include forces in eastern amendments regarding the special status of the Donbas But Mr. Zelenskyy must strike a delicate balance. If the Ukraine disengaging in three key areas along the frontline, will be introduced to the Constitution of Ukraine. Instead, inexperienced president is thought by Ukrainians to cede Kyiv and Moscow agreeing on the terms of autonomy for decentralization will be suggested for development of the too much to Russia in any deal, it could cost him much the areas not under government control, and a preliminary areas that are currently occupied, the same as anywhere political capital and stir unrest among more nationalist agreement on what the summit’s conclusions should be. else in Ukraine. groups that view any concessions as an act of betrayal. Suggesting a possible roadblock, Mr. Prystaiko said that Mr. Prystaiko insisted that Mr. Zelenskyy would not the sides remained at odds over the level of autonomy for What are the Steinmeier formula’s risks? the eastern regions and that the third precondition, which make such steep concessions. The novice president, a Despite the optimism and expectations that the new he learned about from the media, came as a surprise. He comic actor and TV star, “isn’t tall but he’s very strong Ukrainian authorities have for the upcoming meeting, the physically, he trains a lot, it will be very hard to twist his said that it had not been discussed during the nine-hour meeting between political advisers of the Normandy Four risks are clear. “It is becoming clear that Russia is making arms,” he said with a smile. active attempts to …make Ukraine accept the Russian Unless it should fall through, Mr. Zelenskyy will be test- countries in Berlin on September 2. vision of the peace deal – Ukraine gives political commit- ed fairly soon at a Normandy Four meeting with the lead- Should the summit take place, one of the most contro- ments in exchange for Moscow’s security guarantees. The ers of Russia, Germany and France. The last such meeting versial issues set to be discussed will likely be holding local true price of these guarantees does not need explanation,” of the group was in October 2016. elections in the regions under Russia-backed separatist said Mr. Yeliseyev, diplomatic advisor to former President At a briefing with Slovak President Zuzana Caputova in control. Kyiv on September 16, Mr. Zelensky said he hoped France “Local elections should take place there, but they should Poroshenko. and Germany will support the position of Ukraine at a be held under Ukrainian law,” President Zelenskyy told an Former Foreign Affairs Minister Klimkin warns about future Normandy format meeting. “I expect that European audience at the YES conference on September 13. the standards for holding elections: “The Russian countries will support the Ukrainian position,” he said. “I On September 16, Mr. Zelenskyy said that, “if we are dis- Federation will also make each and every effort to blur the really want to believe in it [and] I am sure that this will be cussing local elections in the temporarily occupied territo- notion of OSCE election standards – it will be advocating so at the negotiating table.” ry, we must understand that there must be a clear deadline that among them there are absolutely important ones and A date has not yet been set, although Mr. Prystaiko said before the elections for the withdrawal of all troops from ones that are ‘less important,’ etc. Surely what’s key is how that Ukraine, Germany and France had agreed to hold talks the temporarily occupied territory.” to create security conditions there for free and democratic in Paris, at the initiative of French President Emmanuel The U.S. special envoy for negotiations on the conflict in elections.” eastern Ukraine, Kurt Volker, said at YES that free and fair Macron, on September 16. He said that Russia, however, What is the U.S. position? declined that offer. elections can “only take place in a free, fair and secure envi- Mr. Putin’s plans are not yet clear, and Mr. Prystaiko said ronment.” U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt a meeting was unlikely before October. “That means that you can’t have Russia and its proxies Volker reconfirmed that Ukraine’s international partners will controlling that environment,” he said. not be pushing Kyiv to hold elections in the occupied areas of Three conditions Copyright 2019, RFE/RL Inc. Reprinted with the permis- the Donbas while Russia-controlled forces are there. The U.S. Mr. Macron spoke with Mr. Putin by phone on sion of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut special envoy said he does not see the scenario of Ukraine September 8, and the French president’s office said they Ave. NW, Washington DC 20036; www.rferl.org (see https:// being pushed to have elections while its territory is still occu- agreed that the prisoner swap between Kyiv and Moscow www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-foreign-minister-and-others-fear- pied. Implementation of the Steinmeier formula is possible had given momentum to talks on resolving the war in east- being-pushed-by-west-into-bad-deal-with-russia/30167312. only after the elections happen, he added. ern Ukraine. html?ltflags=mailer). The U.S. diplomat said that. to have the Steinmeier for- mula implemented, Russia needs to withdraw its troops in the first place. In addition, illegal armed groups of Russia’s $50,000 from an anonymous San Francisco benefactor proxies need to be disarmed and stability in the region San Francisco... donated in the months prior to the banquet. The SF needs to be restored. Friends of UCU Committee and the Ukrainian Catholic Ambassador Volker said the Steinmeier formula starts (Continued from page 9) Education Foundation expressed heartfelt thanks to all with elections and noted that a situation in which free elec- between Ukraine and the U.S. SoftServe also generously supporters for their generosity, enthusiasm and strong tions are possible needs to be achieved first. Commenting hosted two tables of guests at the banquet. commitment to the Ukrainian Catholic University’s contin- on the possible lifting of sanctions on Russia, Ambassador Acclaimed singer Anytchka, who hails from Lviv, ued development and success. Volker reiterated that the sanctions introduced as a inspired all with her beautiful music, starting with a pow- For further information about the Ukrainian Catholic response to the Russia’s occupation of Crimea will remain erful scene setter video with song, and then had everyone University, readers may contact the Ukrainian Catholic in place as long as Russia continues to occupy the peninsula. singing along to a lively medley of favorite Ukrainian folk Education Foundation, 2247 W. Chicago, IL, 60622. He noted that, if Russia starts adhering to the Minsk songs. Website: www.ucef.org; phone: 1-773-235-8462; e-mail: agreements, the U.S. will consider softening relevant sanc- The banquet raised over $57,000, with an additional [email protected]. tions. No. 38 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 17 18 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 No. 38

Good luck to the N.Y. Ukrainians 1st & 2nd A Men’s teams in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League for the 2019-2020 season.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and our Website: ukrainiansportsclubny.com IG: fc_nyukrainians • FB: Ukrainian Sports Club NY - YCK 1947

Subscribe to THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY $90 per year $80 for UNA members

For an additional $5 get an online subscription as well.

The Ukrainian Weekly, founded in 1933, is published by the Ukrainian National Association, Inc.

Please contact Subscription Dept. Tel.: 973-292-9800 ext. 3040

LIKE

on Facebook! No. 38 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 19

September 25 Panel discussion by Drs. Luke Tomycz and Igor Kurilets, September 28 Fund-raiser banquet, “Chicago a Ukrainian Kind of Town,” Princeton, NJ “International Medical Cooperation: The Case of Ukraine,” Chicago with exhibit “World’s Fair 1933: A Journey through the Princeton University, www.eventbrite.com Century of Progress,” Ukrainian National Museum, Ukrainian Cultural Center, 312-421-8020 September 25 Film screening, “The Turtledove’s Nest” by Taras New York Tkachenko, Columbia University, 212-854-6525 or September 28 Pig roast, Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church, www.columbia.edu/cu/ufc Kerhonkson, NY 845-647-6911

September 27 Music at the Institute concert, “Poems and Dumky” September 28 Ukrainian Film Festival, Ukrainian Community of New York Ukrainian Institute of America, www.ukrainianinstitute.org Pittsburgh Western Pennsylvania, 412-480-5488

September 27 Presentation by Kate Brown, “Lionizing Male Heroes September 29 Concert with Olena Karpenko (Solomia), The Washington Cambridge, MA and Marginalizing Women: The Chernobyl Drama as it Alexandria, VA Group Cultural Fund, The Lyceum, www.twgcf.org Played Out in Kitchens and Clinics,” Harvard University, or [email protected] www.huri.harvard.edu or 617-495-4053 September 29 Film screening and discussion, “Baba Babee Skazala” by September 27-29 National Convention, Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization, Somerset, NJ Matej Silecky, Ukrainian History and Education Center, Kerhonkson, NY Soyuzikva Heritage Center, www.plastusa.org 732-356-0132 or [email protected]

September 28 Uktoberfest, Shrewd Fox Brewery, September 29 Performance, “Voices of Ukraine and Georgia” featuring Glen Spey, NY www.shrewdfoxbrewery.com Hartford, CT Alexandre Zazarashvili, Ukrainian National Home, www.talentsoftheworld.org September 28 Book presentation by Oleh Wolowyna, “Atlas of Ukrainians New York in the United States: Demographic and Socio-economic October 4 Holodomor Forum, U.S. Committee for Ukrainian Characteristics,” Shevchenko Scientific Society, 212-254-5130 Philadelphia Holodomor-Genocide Awareness, Renaissance Philadelphia Airport, https://UkraineGenocide.com September 28 Oktoberfest, Ukrainian American Sports Center Tryzub, Horsham, PA www.tryzub.org or 267-664-3857 October 4 European Beer Tour, Ukrainian National Home, Syracuse, NY www.syrucc.org/beer September 28 Pig roast, Ukrainian National Home, [email protected] Syracuse, NY or 315-478-9272 October 5 Golf outing and Sitch Challenge Cup, Sitch Ukrainian Somerset, NJ Athletic Educational Association and Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey, Quailbrook September 28 Meet the artists with Anthony Adcock and Cleveland Dean, Country Club, [email protected] Chicago “Blue Collar” exhibit, Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, www.uima-chicago.org or [email protected] Entries in “Out and About” are listed free of charge. Priority is given to events September 28 Film screening, “Julia Blue” by Roxy Toprowych, Iranian advertised in The Ukrainian Weekly. However, we also welcome submissions San Francisco Film Festival and the San Francisco Art Institute, from all our readers. Items will be published at the discretion of the editors www.iranainfilmfestival.org and as space allows. Please send e-mail to [email protected]. 20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 No. 38

PREVIEW OF EVENTS

Saturday, September 28 bock- and knackwurst platters and sand- wiches. Varenyky will be available as a plat- NEW YORK: The Shevchenko Scientific ter or as your “pasta side-dish.” Various craft Society invites all to Oleh Wolowyna’s pre- brews – Korombacher, Trogs, Victory, etc. – sentation of his book “Atlas of Ukrainians in will be in the Biergarten, along with other the United States: Demographic and Socio- domestic and imported beers, wines and economic Characteristics.” Dr. Wolowyna is spirits. Win a contest and some door prizes. director of the Center for Demographic and It all takes place at Ukrainian American Socio-Economic Research on Ukrainians in Sport Center Tryzub, Lower State and the United States at NTSh-A, as well as a fel- County Line roads, Horsham, PA 19454. For low at the Center for Slavic, Eurasian and information go to www.tryzub.org, e-mail Eastern European Studies at the University [email protected], or call 267-664-3857. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In more Admission: $10 per person ($5 for Tryzub than 300 maps, the Atlas describes the his- members presenting their membership tory of immigration from Ukraine to the U.S., cards). provides a comprehensive picture of the current demographic and socio-economic Monday, October 7 status of Ukrainians in the U.S., and quanti- NEW YORK: Please join the Ukrainian fies their relative place within American Studies Program at the Harriman Institute, society. Special attention is given to the Columbia University, for “Envisioning impact of the most recent immigration from Ukrainian Literature 2019: Versions and Ukraine, the so-called Fourth Wave. Besides Demarcations, Part II.” What are the differ- demographic characteristics such as age, sex ent ways that Ukrainian literature can be and internal migration, the Atlas covers top- defined in 2019? Literature written in the ics like education, labor force, citizenship, Ukrainian language? Literature written by knowledge of English, language spoken at citizens of Ukraine in any language? home, income and poverty status, housing Literature written in Ukrainian outside of characteristics, and more. Indicators based Ukraine? Literature written by Ukrainians on a large data base from different censuses living outside of Ukraine, in any language? are used to show the spatial distribution Literature written about Ukrainians in any and characteristics of Ukrainians in maps language? This event gathers a panel of for each state and 55 metropolitan areas. writers and scholars at a roundtable to pres- The event will take place at the society’s ent their literary works and to discuss vari- building, 63 Fourth Ave. (between Ninth and ous ways of belonging to Ukrainian litera- 10th streets) at 5 p.m. For additional infor- ture. Participants: Olena Jennings, mation call 212-254-5130. Alexander Motyl, Dzvinia Orlowsky, Irene Zabytko and Mark Andryczyk. This event HORSHAM, Pa.: UASC Tryzub’s Oktoberfest, will take place at 4:15 p.m. in the Marshall D. will take place from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Listen to Shulman Seminar Room (Room 1219, live music by the ever-popular Torn Boots International Affairs Building, 420 W. 118th Band and accordionist Don Bitterlich, as St.). The event is free and open to the public. Fran McLaughlin, sous chef and general For additional information call 212-854- manager of Parx Casino, prepares brat-, 4697.

PREVIEW OF EVENTS GUIDELINES Preview of Events is a service provided at minimal cost ($20 per listing) by The Ukrainian Weekly to the Ukrainian community. Items should be no more than 100 words long. Preview items must be received no later than one week before the desired date of publication. Please include payment for each time the item is to appear and indicate date(s) of issue(s) in which the item is to be published. Information should be sent to: preview@ ukrweekly.com.