The Ukrainian Weekly, 2020
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Part 3 of THE YEAR IN REVIEW pages 7-15 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association, Inc., celebrating W its 125th anniversaryEEKLY Vol. LXXXVIII No. 5 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020 $2.00 Zelenskyy faces challenges of history Oleh Sentsov: The nail that will not bend and diplomacy in Israel and Poland memoration on such terms and told Israeli media that Mr. Putin was spreading lies to conceal the Soviet Union’s responsibility for the war along with that of Nazi Germany. In this highly tricky situation, Mr. Zelenskyy bided his time and did not con- firm whether he would be going to Jerusalem and Warsaw until the last min- ute. While still preoccupied with the after- math of a Ukrainian airliner’s downing in Tehran and the return of the bodies, President Zelenskyy nevertheless made his line known. The Times of Israel reported on January 19, after interviewing him in Kyiv, and on the day he announced he would be going to Israel: “He speaks at length about the Holodomor, the Soviet- imposed deliberate famine of 1932-1933, Olena Blyednova which killed millions, and with great Oleh Sentsov during his presentation on January 25 in New York. The discussion was respect for the victims of the Holocaust – moderated by Razom volunteer Maria Genkin. and the need to bring a belated, honest his- torical account of these events into the by Irene Jarosewich in Switzerland – that he does not consider open. He acknowledges but says less on the himself to be, foremost, a Russian political Presidential Office of Ukraine issue of Ukrainians’ participation in NEW YORK – Ukrainian film director prisoner. He prefers to focus on his self- and writer Oleh Sentsov arrived recently in identity as a human rights activist and a President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Holocaust crimes, preferring to highlight the United States for his first visit and a fighter for Ukraine’s right to self-determi- Ukraine speaks in Poland on January 26 the actions of Ukraine’s Righteous Gentiles, at a dinner marking the 75th anniversary and the relative marginality of overt anti- multi-city speaking tour that included a nation. of the liberation of the Auschwitz- Semitism in modern Ukraine.” late afternoon presentation at the This position that Ukraine, and all those Birkenau Nazi concentration camp. In Israel, Mr. Zelenskyy adroitly pulled Ukrainian National Home in New York who consider themselves Ukrainian, must off a surprise maneuver. He met with the City’s East Village on Saturday, January 25. assume serious responsibility to help by Bohdan Nahaylo Israeli president, the prime minister, and Since his release during a Ukraine- assure the nation’s success was Mr. the speaker of the Knesset and discussed Russia prisoner exchange in September Sentsov’s primary message on January 25. KYIV – During the final days of January, not only the commemoration of the 2019, Mr. Sentsov has often stated publicly While PEN America, a writer’s organiza- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – most recently on January 22 during his tion and freedom-of-speech advocacy carried out two sensitive “working visits,” (Continued on page 20) appearance at the Davos Economic Forum group, is the main sponsor of Mr. Sentsov’s to Israel and Poland. They were connected U.S. tour, Razom for Ukraine, an interna- with the 75th anniversary of the liberation tional network of volunteers dedicated to of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration initiating projects that increase awareness camp located in Poland and International Ukraine House Davos promotes about, and work for the betterment of, Holocaust Remembrance Day observed on Ukraine hosted the event at the Ukrainian January 27. country at World Economic Forum National Home. Given the broader context involving the role of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Focus on freedom, not on me by Roman Tymotsko image of Ukraine as a modern European they were a veritable test for Mr. country with attractive investment Introducing Mr. Sentsov to a standing Zelenskyy’s diplomatic skills, both at home DAVOS, Switzerland – On January opportunities. The venue hosted captivat- ovation by close to 300 guests, Razom and abroad. And the commemorative 21-24, this small Swiss town in the ing panel discussions on investment, board member Maryna Prykhodko stated events themselves revealed current atti- mountains hosted the 50th annual World infrastructure, IT, and education, as well from the outset that Mr. Sentsov was reluc- tudes towards the Holocaust in Ukraine Economic Forum. The world’s most influ- as evening receptions and cultural diplo- tant to focus on his past and would prefer where, according to the Ukrainian presi- ential people, politicians, businesspeople macy events. The House was a hive of to respond to questions about the present dent, “one in four” of the total victims lived. and philanthropists flew into Switzer- activity throughout the week and attract- and future of Ukraine. Matters were complicated by several land to join this elite gathering. ed an influential international audience, Mr. Sentsov, 43, spent much of his life in simultaneous factors. First, the recent Alongside the official invitation-only becoming one of the favorite spots for the Crimea. He was arrested there in May 2014 recriminations between Warsaw and the program, Davos’s main promenade hosts Davos crowd. by Russian occupying forces, transported in Kremlin over who was responsible for the dozens of alternative events set up by cor- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of secret to Russia and then, on August 25, outbreak of World War II. And secondly, porations, global organizations and coun- Ukraine visited Ukraine House Davos on 2015, was found guilty on baseless charges that Israel organized a World Holocaust tries. Ukraine House Davos was one of January 22 to congratulate organizers on of terrorism. His was sentenced to serve 20 Forum on January 23-24 devoted to the these for the third consecutive year; its aim the success of this year’s event. Also that years in a Russian prison. 75th anniversary of liberation of Auschwitz was to promote Ukraine as a young and day, Mr. Zelenskyy was supposed to lead a When arrested, Mr. Sentsov, along with concentration camp at which Mr. Putin was vibrant democracy in the heart of Europe closed meeting of the National Investment many others, had been protesting the ille- invited to speak, but not the leaders of that is undergoing a massive transforma- Council of Ukraine. Ultimately, he did not gal occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula Poland and Ukraine. tion and is led by a resilient, highly edu- manage to get to Ukraine House in time, by a stealth Russian military operation of Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, who cated and innovative new generation. unidentified soldiers, the now infamous organized a similar event in Warsaw on Ukraine House strengthened the (Continued on page 24) January 27, refused to attend Israel’s com- (Continued on page 23) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020 No. 5 ANALYSIS Ukraine’s economy in 2020: Zelenskyyy: Holodomor was genocide Research Center survey for 2018, Ukraine has the lowest level of anti-Semitism in For Ukraine, the Holodomor of 1932- Europe. He added: “I have Jewish blood. A diffi cult road ahead 1933 is genocide, not a social or economic And I’m the president.” Mr. Zelenskyy said, tragedy, as some try to present it. This was “as elsewhere in the world, now and in the by Vladislav Inozemtsev whom President Zelenskyy reappointed to stated by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr past, there is a certain percentage of people Eurasia Daily Monitor serve in the new government – the authori- ties began to tighten borrowing to push the Zelenskyy in an interview with the Times who do not see anyone but their nation,” The start of 2020 in Kyiv was initially yields down (Worldgovernmentbonds.com, of Israel, according to Gazeta.ua. “Many and the same thing happened during World thought to be a triumphant one. The last January 20). The National Bank slashed the people were eliminated. They were seized, War II, during the occupation of Ukraine by weeks of 2019 brought some de-escalation refinancing rate five times during 2019, their property – their houses, land, cattle, Nazi Germany. The president noted that in the war in the Donbas (EADaily, December bringing it down to 13.5 percent in everything was taken from them. And if “the same complex attitude was demon- 30, 2019), new hopes for peace and, impor- December (Bank.gov.ua, accessed January they didn’t surrender their assets, they strated to the Jewish people in Soviet tantly, formidable economic successes. 20). This allowed the Finance Ministry to were killed. They were shot. Millions of times,” now Ukraine has “the lowest level of Notably, the United States adopted new extend the average duration of domestic people died. Many countries have recog- anti-Semitism.” Mr. Zelenskyy stressed that sanctions that delayed construction of the bonds, from less than six months in 2018, nized that the Holodomor is a genocide. during World War II, there were people in Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline, thus to more than two years (Facebook.com, And I know that Israel understands this France, Poland, Germany, Belarus and forcing Russia to sign a renewed gas transit December 7, 2019). After establishing a and understands that Ukraine recognized Ukraine who saved Jews from the Nazis, contract with Ukraine (Ukrinform.net, reliable instrument for domestic borrow- the Holocaust as genocide. For Ukraine, this but “at the same time there were people December 31, 2019) as well as to pay ing, the government took on additional for- is not a social or economic tragedy. This is who collaborated with the Nazis.” He eign investors, offering 1 billion euros ($1.1 Gazprom’s penalties to Ukraine’s Naftogaz, genocide.