INSIDE:  Zelenskyy’s address to the U.N. General Assembly – page 4  About the anti-Semitic stereotype of – page 9  St. Mary Orthodox Chapel in Ellenville is restored – page 12

THEHEPublished U by theKRAINIANK UkrainianR NationalAIN Association,IAN Inc., celebrating W its 125th anniversaryEEKLYEEKLY Vol. LXXXVII No. 40 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 $2.00 Kurt Volker resigns as special envoy to Ukraine Splits emerge within Zelensky administration,

Ukraine Crisis Media Center country’s former and current presidents, while public questions Steinmeier formula and visited the Donbas. He was seen as KYIV – U.S. Special Representative for having a firm pro-Ukrainian position, con- Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker resigned stantly reassured Ukraine of U.S. support, on September 27 against the backdrop of maintained a direct dialogue with Russia the controversy in the United States around and often expressed concern about the res- the July 25 telephone conversation idents of the Donbas. between U.S. President Donald Trump and The majority of Ukrainian experts char- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acterized Ambassador Volker’s resignation and the U.S. leader’s initial decision to with- as bad news. hold military aid to Kyiv. “I cannot recall any other U.S. high-level U.S. media say Ambassador Volker might official who visited Ukraine over 10 times have been involved in discussing the Biden in two years and was not only in Kyiv but case with Ukrainian authorities. He is on also went to Avdiyivka, Mariupol and the list of U.S. State Department personnel Kramatorsk. This person knew the situa- whose data was requested by the House of tion in Ukraine perfectly well,” said Yevhen Representatives investigating the “Ukraine Mahda, director of the Institute of World case.” Policy in a comment to Hromadske TV. Mr. Volker has agreed to appear before Experts also said that Mr. Volker, who the House of Representatives to answer served in a volunteer capacity, constantly Presidential Office of Ukraine questions related to the impeachment raised awareness about the situation in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks at a press briefing on October 1, after he inquiry against President Trump. RFE/RL Ukraine, and shared his knowledge and announced that Ukraine had agreed to accept the Steinmeier formula as the basis for reported that Mr. Volker’s name was men- understanding of Ukraine with the negotiations to end the war in the Donbas. tioned in a whistle-blower complaint Department of State and with the U.S. pres- by Bohdan Nahaylo First, there was the sudden resignation at expressing alarm over Mr. Trump’s dealings ident. the end of last month of two key figures – the with Ukraine. “My biggest concern is that the position KYIV – Since President Volodymyr U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Mr. Volker was appointed in 2017 as U.S. itself will be eliminated. The fact that it Zelenskyy’s difficult trip to on Negotiations Kurt Volker and Secretary of special representative for Ukraine negotia- exists in the U.S. Department of State sends September 24-26, a series of developments the National Security and Defense Council tions to focus on the Russia-Ukraine con- a clear signal to international actors that in Ukraine has generated anxiety, division (NSDC) Danylyuk. Although not directly flict and the Donbas. Previously, Ukraine- the U.S. is interested in the situation in and even a wave of protests. In addition, related, their departures have raised serious related questions were addressed in the Ukraine,” Mr. Mahda told Hromadske TV. the first major split in the ranks of the concern about the circumstances in which State Department by Victoria Nuland, then Many Ukrainian politicians reacted to Zelenskyy administration has emerged, as they left and the implications for Ukraine. assistant secretary of state for European Volker’s resignation on social media. its most senior security official, Oleksandr Ambassador Volker, who was greatly and Eurasian affairs. Former Foreign Affairs Minister Pavlo Danylyuk, blew the whistle and called on admired in Ukraine as its strong supporter, As special envoy, Mr. Volker made the controversial head of the Presidential numerous visits to Ukraine, met with the (Continued on page 16) Office, Andriy Bohdan, to resign. (Continued on page 16)

Internment monument unveiled in St. Paul, Alberta ST. PAUL, Alberta – Members of the affected some 90,000 civilians, who were arrest- Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Foundation ed, interned, dispossessed of their wealth, made (UCCLF) and its activist counterpart, the to work or forced to regularly register with the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association police. The majority of those unjustly interned (UCCLA), on September 28 in St. Paul, Alberta, as enemy aliens under the War Measures Act unveiled Canada’s newest monument dedicat- were Ukrainians, who were invited by the ed to remembering the country’s first national Dominion government to settle Canada. internment operations in the years 1914-1920. Well over 100 people attended the unveiling Titled “21 Strands,” the monument is unique, ceremony, presided over by Caroline Yewchin comprising not just a trilingual (English-French- from the local Ukrainian community. Among Ukrainian) educational plaque, but also an those who spoke or laid wreaths were St. Paul image of internees standing behind 21 horizon- Mayor Maureen Miller; the chairperson of tal lengths of Canadian barbed wire. The design Champions for Change, Penny Fox; a represen- is by Amil Shapka, a resident of St. Paul who tative of the local branch of the Royal Canadian spearheaded the efforts to erect this monument Legion; as well as delegates from the Edmonton in his hometown. Chapter of the League of Ukrainian Canadians. Dr. Shapka told The Ukrainian Weekly that Father Peter Haugen of All Saints Ukrainian the memorial “was intended to provoke a Orthodox Church and Father Andrij Nykyforuk response by being able to view it from both of Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary sides: it is one experience to be on the outside Ukrainian Catholic Church jointly blessed the looking in at the internees, and a complete and monument and the accompanying interpretive surprisingly different one to stand beside them, UCCLF panel. In addition, they conducted a memorial inside, and look out at the freedom beyond the The monument titled “21 Strands,” which was unveiled in St. Paul, Alberta, service (panakhyda) for the internees. wire.” includes an image of internees standing behind 21 horizontal lengths of The internment operations of 1914-1920 Canadian barbed wire. The design is by Amil Shapka. (Continued on page 4) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 No. 40

ANALYSIS

Moscow in a weaker position Zelenskyy agrees to Steinmeier formula Ukraine has committed to holding the local election but did not receive any guarantees A deal announced by Ukrainian that it would regain control of all of its bor- in gas transit talks With Kyiv President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow der with Russia, Mr. Poroshenko told local elections in “separatist”-held parts of reporters in Kyiv on October 2. Former by Margarita Assenova cent of the pipeline capacity. eastern Ukraine under certain security con- Following this decision, Poland’s PGNiG Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko also Eurasia Daily Monitor ditions has triggered a backlash, including and PGNiG Supply & Trading filed a com- slammed the deal as a “direct threat to the protests, in Ukraine and praise from the Moscow has found itself in a weaker plaint in the Court of Justice of the European national security, territorial integrity, and Kremlin. Opposition politicians and their position in its negotiations with Kyiv on Union objecting to the Commission’s deci- sovereignty of our country,” according to a supporters in Ukraine on October 2 showed continuing natural gas transit through sion to allow Gazprom to use the full capaci- statement released by her Batkivshchyna their disdain for the deal, brokered in Minsk Ukraine to Europe after December 31. The ty of the OPAL pipeline in Germany, which party. Former Chairman of the Verkhovna with Russia and the Organization for current 10-year gas transmission agree- transits gas from Nord Stream 1 to Central Rada said he would push Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), ment between Russia’s Gazprom and Europe. Poland argued that granting a new for hearings into the agreement, accusing which a day earlier Mr. Zelenskyy said Naftogaz of Ukraine will expire at the end exemption relating to the OPAL pipeline the Zelenskyy administration of not seeking would pave the way for peace talks with of the year. Russia was hoping to have two threatens the security of gas supply in the Moscow to end the war in the Donbas that input from society at large. Meanwhile, pro- new mega-pipelines operational by that European Union, in particular in Central testers assembled outside the presidential time, but the construction of Nord Stream 2 Europe. The claim was supported by has killed more than 13,000 since April 2014. He added there would be no elections office building in Kyiv late on October 1 to and TurkStream 2 has been delayed signifi- Lithuania and Latvia (, September protest the decision. Besides Kyiv, cantly (Biznesalert.com, March 27; Senate. 10; see EDM, September 16). in militant-held areas of the Donetsk and regions until all armed formations Ukrainian media reported that protests gov, May 2019). Even Russian energy In July 2017, the Court of Justice of the against the deal were also held in other experts admit now that these pipelines will European Union and the German Higher have left the area and Ukraine regains con- trol over about 400 kilometers of border- Ukrainian cities, including , Kharkiv and not be ready as soon as Moscow needs Regional Court issued rulings upholding the Mariupol. (RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, them: Ukrainian transit will remain essen- decision by the European Commission from land with Russia. “There cannot be and will not be elections held at gunpoint,” Mr. with reporting by UNIAN, TASS and tial for Gazprom in the next few years October 2016 and allowed Gazprom to use Interfax) (TASS, September 20). virtually the entire capacity of OPAL until a Zelenskyy said. “There will be no capitula- In addition, the decision of the Court of final decision was made in 2019 (McKinsey tion.” The occupied regions would receive Sentsov meets with Macron in Strasbourg Justice of the European Union, on Energy Insight, September 2017). This led self-governing status once they hold elec- September 10, to limit Gazprom’s usage of to reducing the Russian gas transit through tions that are deemed to be free and fair by French President Emmanuel Macron has the Ostsee-Pipeline-Anbindungsleitung Ukraine and redirecting more volumes to the OSCE, according to what is known as met with Oleh Sentsov, the Ukrainian film- (OPAL) pipeline in Germany to 50 percent Nord Stream 1. But the final court decision the Steinmeier Formula, a component of an maker who was held in Russian prisons for of its capacity presented another hurdle to on September 10 upheld the principles of overall road map for attaining peace. The more than five years on charges observers Russian gas supplies from the existing Nord energy security and energy solidarity and Kremlin said on October 2 that it approved called politically motivated. The encounter Stream 1. The problem will further exacer- annulled the commission decision from of the deal, Russian media reported. took place on October 1 in the French city bate when and if Nord Stream 2 is built, as three years earlier. The ruling stated that Moscow had demanded that Kyiv agree to of Strasbourg, where the French president Germany will have insufficient overland “The General Court finds that the principle the Steinmeier Formula before it would addressed the Parliamentary Assembly of pipeline capacity for the transit of all Nord of solidarity is not referred to in the 2016 consent to four-way peace talks with the Council of Europe. Mr. Sentsov was one Stream gas to Central and Eastern Europe decision and that it does not appear that the Ukraine, Germany and France in the so- of dozens of prisoners swapped between (Curia.europa.eu, September 10). commission, as a matter of fact, conducted called Normandy format. The four coun- Ukraine and Russia on September 7. The These developments severely limit an examination of that principle” (Curia. tries have not met for peace talks since director has since vowed to make films Gazprom’s options to supply Russian gas to europa.eu, September 10). October 2016. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry again, champion the rights of prisoners in European customers through alternative This is a landmark legal ruling that will Peskov said he expected a date to be set Russian jails and “struggle to counteract pipelines bypassing Ukraine. The Ukrainian have wide implications for all Russian natu- soon for Normandy four talks, the TASS [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s gas transmission network is, thus, posed to ral gas projects in Europe going forward. It news agency reported. The French Foreign regime that wants, in the first place, to remain the main delivery route for Russian will certainly serve as the gold standard in Affairs Ministry said in a statement that the enslave Ukraine.” At a joint news confer- natural gas in the next several years. In fact, similar cases in the future, including the conditions were “now in place for holding ence with Mr. Macron, he said: “Right now, as a result of the OPAL decision, Russian planned onshore pipeline for Nord Stream soon in Paris a meeting of heads of state my work is here with you. I have not cho- gas volumes transmitted via the Ukrainian 2 gas – EUGAL – and the prospective pipe- and government under the Normandy for- sen this work, the work has chosen me.” Mr. route may even increase in 2020. Ukraine line designed to connect TurkStream 2 to mat, with the aim of progressing on the Macron noted that there were more prison- transmitted 93.5 billion cubic meters (bcm) the Balkans. path to a lasting solution to the conflict in ers waiting to return home, adding: “We of Russian gas to Europe and Turkey in The construction of the EUGAL pipeline Ukraine.” Former President Petro owe them the strength of our commitment 2017; these volumes dropped to 86.8 bcm is critical for Nord Stream 2. With a capaci- Poroshenko, who lost in a landslide to Mr. toward dialogue and reconciliation on our in 2018 after Gazprom was allowed to tem- ty of 55 bcm, the pipeline is planned to Zelenskyy in Ukraine’s presidential election continent.” (RFE/RL, with reporting by porarily use the OPAL pipeline at full capac- transport gas from Nord Stream 2 to the in April, said the agreement was in fact a Reuters and AFP) ity since July 2017 (Naftogaz.com, 2019). Czech Republic and would then connect “capitulation to Russia.” The agreement is The OPAL gas pipeline is the terrestrial with the Transgaz network in Slovakia, “playing into Russia’s hands” because (Continued on page 15) section to the west of the Nord Stream 1 sending gas in the west-east direction. In pipeline. It is the largest-capacity piece of the absence of alternative branches, the overland gas transmission infrastructure in planned flow capacity of EUGAL suggests Western Europe, designed to pump 35 bcm that most of the gas from Nord Stream 2 FOUNDED 1933 of Russian gas per year. The second pipe- would be directed to the Central European THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY line transiting Russian gas from Nord markets and Ukraine, as well as to the Stream is the westward-bound NEL pipe- Balkans and Italy, thus replacing most of An English-language newspaper published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., line, with a capacity of 20 bcm per year. the Ukrainian gas transit. Gazprom has said a non-profit association, at 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054. Yearly subscription rate: $90; for UNA members — $80. OPAL and NEL’s combined capacities of 55 that EUGAL will not be fully operational bcm per year exactly match the capacity of before the end of 2020; therefore, the com- Periodicals postage paid at Caldwell, NJ 07006 and additional mailing offices. the Nord Stream 1 pipeline (see Eurasia pany will have to continue using the (ISSN — 0273-9348) Daily Monitor, January 31, 2014). Ukrainian gas transit infrastructure until The Weekly: UNA: On September 10, the General Court, a then to meet European gas demand Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 644-9510 Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 292-0900 constituent part of the Court of Justice of (Sputnik News, March 20, 2018). the European Union, found that the But after the recent EU General Court Postmaster, send address changes to: European Commission’s 2016 decision ruling on OPAL, the EUGAL pipeline will The Ukrainian Weekly Editor-in-chief: Roma Hadzewycz allowing Gazprom unrestricted use of OPAL also be submitted to the rule of reserving 2200 Route 10 Editor: Matthew Dubas was adopted in breach of the principle of 50 percent of its capacity for third party P.O. Box 280 energy solidarity. The ruling firmly upheld suppliers. This means that even if Nord Parsippany, NJ 07054 e-mail: [email protected] the principles of energy security of the EU, Stream 2 and EUGAL are built, Gazprom enshrined in the 2009 Gas Directive (Curia. will annually be able to deliver only 65 bcm The Ukrainian Weekly Archive: www.ukrweekly.com europa.eu, September 10). through the Baltic Sea route instead of 110 The OPAL pipeline was initially granted bcm as it hoped (20 bcm through NEL; 17.5 The Ukrainian Weekly, October 6, 2019, No. 40, Vol. LXXXVII an exemption to third-party access from through OPAL; and 27.5 bcm through Copyright © 2019 The Ukrainian Weekly the EU’s Third Energy Package rules in June EUGAL). This means that the Ukrainian gas 2009 – i.e., the transmission system opera- transit route will be needed for at least 45 tor did not have to reserve any capacity for bcm of the volumes that Russia was plan- ADMINISTRATION OF THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY AND SVOBODA other suppliers. The European Commission ning to direct to the Baltic route. challenged this ruling and limited the Walter Honcharyk, administrator (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 and advertising manager fax: (973) 644-9510 capacity used by Gazprom to 50 percent of The article above is reprinted from e-mail: [email protected] its technical capacity. But in October 2016, Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission from Subscription Department (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 the commission revised its decision, allow- its publisher, the Jamestown Foundation, e-mail: [email protected] ing Gazprom to book 80 or even 100 per- www.jamestown.org. No. 40 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 3 Ukrainian president, UWC welcomes establishment in PEN International, RFE/RL renew calls to free Aseyev of parliamentary group Ukrainians in the World UWC RFE/RL KYIV – On September 13, during a plenary session of the WASHINGTON – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Verkhovna Rada, First Deputy Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk Zelenskyy, delegates to the PEN Congress in Manila, announced in the presence of the Ukrainian World Congress and speakers and attendees at a press conference in leadership the establishment of the parliamentary group Kyiv on October 1 all raised their voices to call for the Ukrainians in the World. release of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) As noted by its chairman, Sviatoslav Yurash, the establish- contributor Stanislav Aseyev, who was marking his ment of this important interparty parliamentary group was 30th birthday that day – the third spent as a prisoner made possible with the active support of the Ukrainian World held incommunicado by Russia-backed forces in Congress (UWC) and the unity of political parties in improv- Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. ing legislation on issues of concern to Ukrainians worldwide. Mr. Zelenskyy acknowledged Mr. Aseyev’s birthday “The establishment of a committee in the Parliament of in public remarks, stating that he “has been in prison in Ukraine that will address the issues affecting Ukrainians the DPR [Donetsk people’s republic] for more than two throughout the world is a significant step in bringing closer, years,” and that the Ukrainian government is “applying and improving relations between Ukraine and Ukrainians maximum efforts for his return and the return of all our around the world. It is also an important indicator of the citizens.” The Ukrainian president made the statement interest of government agencies in ensuring effective inter- action with Ukrainians from all over the world. We antici- at a press briefing on the October 1 meeting of the UWC pate fruitful and productive cooperation that will further the Trilateral Contact Group, the body overseeing negotia- Sviatoslav Yurash, chairman of the newly created parlia- growth and development of Ukraine as a successful, inde- tions among the sides to the conflict, about the next mentary group Ukrainians in the World, with Ukrainian stage of prisoner exchanges. pendent, self-sufficient, democratic, European state, and the World Congress President Paul Grod. Mr. Aseyev was also the subject of a press confer- continued consolidation and development of the global ence convened in Kyiv by RFE/RL President Jamie Fly, Ukrainian community,” stated UWC President Paul Grod. planning to jointly propose draft legislation and amend- former Russia-backed militants’ prisoner Ihor Representatives of all political parties in the Rada, with ments to existing laws with the goal of creating favorable Kozlovsky, Center for Civil Liberties chairwoman the exception of the political party Opposition Platform – For conditions for the return of Ukrainians to Ukraine.” Olexandra Matviychuk, writer and PEN Ukraine mem- Life, as well as independents have joined the group. * * * Mr. Grod commented: “The UWC calls upon all members ber Olena Styazhkina, and Human Rights Watch The information service of the Verkhovna Rada reported of the Parliament of Ukraine to join the work of the parlia- in late September that 49 national deputies had joined the Associate Director Tanya Lokshina (via video link), who mentary committee on Ukrainians in the World. We are Ukrainians in the World group. called for his freedom and the release of fellow RFE/RL contributors Oleh Halaziuk and Mykola Semena. Mr. Fly stated that all three “have taken great risks, and now have been paying significant prices, for their work to bring the truth about the areas they have been reporting from.” He added, “we hope that the govern- HBO series about Chornobyl wins 10 Emmy Awards ment of Ukraine, the authorities who are holding them, LOS ANGELES – The HBO series “” took home accepting the award, Mazin was quick to thank the people of [and] the Russian government will do everything possi- 10 Emmy Awards out of the 19 for which it was nominated. Lithuania who welcomed them as they filmed the series. ble to make sure that they all are released and able to Among them was the Emmy for “outstanding limited series.” Mazin then paid honor to the victims of the nuclear plant travel freely.” The five-part historical drama about the 1986 accident at disaster and hoped the series served as a way to remind peo- Meanwhile, in the Philippines’ capital of Manila, the the Chornobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine was written ple of their legacy.” 85th PEN Congress opened with a flashmob in support by Craig Mazin and directed by for HBO. The series also won awards for outstanding writing, of Mr. Aseyev. PEN International President Jennifer Accepting the award for best limited series at the 71st directing, production design, cinematography, music compo- Clement urged conference delegates to stand in soli- annual Emmy Awards on September 22 in Los Angeles, Mr. sition and others. Actors Jared Harris (who played Valery darity with Mr. Aseyev, who is a member of PEN’s Mazin said, “I hope that in some small way our show has Legasov of the Kurchatov Institute), Stellan Skarsgård (Boris Ukrainian chapter. The delegates held up signs bearing helped remind people of the value of the truth and the dan- Shcherbina of the Soviet Council of Ministers) and Emily the hashtag #FreeAseyev. ger of the lie.” The Hollywood Reporter quoted him as say- Watson (the composite character Ulana Khomyuk, a nuclear Mr. Aseyev, who also wrote for the Ukrainian publi- ing: “I’d like to think we can make stories be known perma- physicist from Minsk, Belarus) earned Emmy nominations. cations Mirror of the Week and The Ukrainian Week, nently and that’s a remarkable power and responsibility for “Chernobyl” premiered in the U.S. on May 6 and in the published dozens of posts about the effects of Russia’s us all.” United Kingdom on May 7. It received great critical acclaim intervention on daily life, schooling, politics and culture The Hollywood Reporters also pointed out: “When from viewers and reviewers alike. from 2014 until he was seized in the summer of 2017. Militants have reportedly accused him of espionage and threatened him with up to 14 years in custody, although RFE/RL has no knowledge of him being for- Quotable notes mally charged by any recognized authority of any “We are now faced with accusations from numerous sources that our president attempted to pressure a foreign gov- crime. ernment to investigate one of his rivals in the next presidential election. In other words, the president of the United In August 2017, the Ukrainian government included States is attempting to fix the election. I think these accusations should be addressed with all of the tools at Congress’s his name among those officially listed for a possible disposal, including articles of impeachment. I did not run for Congress to impeach the president. I ran to make the lives prisoner exchange. The One Free Press Coalition, the of New Jerseyans better, but I’ve long said that Congress is a co-equal branch of government and has constitutional U.S. Mission to the Organization for Security and oversight duties, as well as duties to legislate for Americans. The president of the United States is threatening our Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the OSCE national security. I believe it is my responsibility as a member of Congress to ensure that I protect our country from any Representative on Freedom of Media, the bipartisan and all threats. And that is what I intend to do.” U.S. Congressional Freedom of the Press Caucus, U.S. “The fact that our president is trying to induce a foreign power to threaten our elections – I think that’s a huge national Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Marco Rubio security risk. The fact that a president is withholding support from a security partner that is trying to fight off Russia, (R-Fla.), and U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) have all called which has presented multiple national security threats over the past several years. To withhold this kind of support, for Mr. Aseyev’s release. Nobel Laureate Svetlana knowing how critical it is that we deter Russian aggression across the world, and to have that aid not arrive to our security Alexievich has added her voice to efforts on his behalf, partner, not arrive in Ukraine as they are trying to fight that aggression – I just think it’s so incredibly offensive to put that writing, “It goes without saying, I am with you in your kind of support and that kind of fight that they have going on in jeopardy and in peril. I think those are clear national secu- struggle on behalf of Stanislav Aseyev.” rity threats, and the fact that they are being conducted by the president leaves no other option than for Congress to act. RFE/RL has also urged the release of Ukrainian Because Congress is the body that the founding fathers anticipated would be a check on the executive branch.” Service contributor Mr. Halaziuk, who has been held by – Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), speaking on September 25 in an interview with “The Daily,” a podcast of The New York Times. Russia-backed militants in Donetsk since August 2017. Crimean contributor Mr. Semena was convicted of “…Trump seems to have the idea that Ukraine was part of some scheme against his presidential campaign and is cor- “separatism” by a Russian court in 2017 and is banned respondingly demanding that the country actively participate in his efforts to attack one of his opponents. As domestic from practicing journalism and leaving the peninsula. politics this is disgraceful; as foreign policy it is profoundly dangerous. RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, known locally as Radio “For Ukraine and other countries in similar situations, there can be only one conclusion: The politics of the United Svoboda, together with its subsidiary Donbas.Realities States has now become so poisonous that the only option is maintaining a safe distance. If you try to buy influence and Crimea.Realities regional units, averaged 5 million there, you risk buying destruction. monthly visits to its website in 2018. “The scandal effectively presents the Kremlin with a huge gift. It could well turn out that Trump’s ill-advised pressure on RFE/RL relies on its networks of local reporters to the Ukrainian president will finally give Moscow what it has so far failed to achieve. If the mess continues, the only things provide accurate news and information to 34 million the world will be hearing about Ukraine are corruption, dubious schemes and bizarre manipulations – a public relations people in 26 languages and 22 countries where media disaster that might end up damaging the country far more than Russian battalions have so far managed to do. Ties freedom is restricted, or where a professional press has between the United States and Ukraine will steadily weaken, giving Moscow additional opportunities to exert pressure. not fully developed. RFE/RL is an editorially indepen- “It is hard to see how any of this is in the interests of Ukraine – or the United States.” dent media company funded by a grant from the U.S. – Former Prime Minister of Sweden Carl BIldt, writing in his column in The Washington Post on September 24. Congress through the U.S. Agency for Global Media. 4 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 No. 40

FOR THE RECORD Address by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at 74th session of the U.N. General Assembly

Following is the text of the address by the opportunity to be killed. delivered on September The name of the man I’ve told you about 25 during the General Debate of the 74th was Vasyl Slipak. He was a Ukrainian, a session of the United Nations General soloist of the Paris National Opera who was Assembly. Source: Presidential Office of killed in Donbas defending Ukraine from Ukraine. the Russian aggression. The war in Donbas has already lasted Distinguished President, Your five years and five years have passed since Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen! Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of On behalf of Ukraine, I congratulate you, Crimea. Despite the existence of interna- Mr. President, on having been elected tional law and hundreds of organizations President of the 74th session of the U.N. designed to defend it, our country defends General Assembly. Ukraine supports the its own sovereignty and territorial integrity implementation of all ambitious priorities with weapons in its hands and losing its of this year’s Assembly. citizens. Let us be honest, everyone present here More than 13,000 people killed, 30,000 has different interests, views, values and wounded. One and a half million people problems. But there is one thing that unites were forced to leave their homes. Every us all. Each of you, ladies and gentlemen, year, these monstrous numbers are heard had the first speech from this rostrum. here, but with one correction – every year Presidential Office of Ukraine Please recall your feelings at that these numbers get bigger. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the U.N. General Assembly. moment. Every one of you, respected and The end of the war, the return of all the honored today, was once a beginner yet a occupied Ukrainian territories and the pre- building a different, new world. Where you my opinion, we all need to realize that a sincere world politician. And then, a cock- vailing of peace are my tasks. But not at the do not need to have a nuclear weapon to be strong leader is not the one who, without tail of pragmatism, skepticism and harsh cost of our citizens’ lives, not at the cost of heard. Where you will be respected for batting an eyelid, sends thousands of sol- geopolitical reality has not yet managed to freedom or the right of Ukraine to its own deeds, not for nuclear warheads. diers to death. A strong leader is the one quench your passion, romanticism and choice. After all, in this “new” world, our coun- who protects everyone’s life. unwavering belief that the world can be That is why we need the support of the try has lost part of its territories and is los- Now let us answer ourselves: What do changed for the better. world. I understand: everyone present here ing its citizens almost daily. our meetings give to humanity? If for some- Remember how important it was to tell has their own state concern and other peo- That is why, if not Ukraine then who has one it is only a political theater where they the problems and troubles of your country ple’s problems should not worry you more the right to speak today about the need to play a role and declare light intentions, and your people to the world back then. than your own. But in today’s world, where rethink and revise current world rules? which are then crossed out by dark actions? How important it was to be heard. we live, there is no longer someone else’s war. Of course, we do not question the It’s not just a rostrum. And not a scene. I have the same feelings today. None of you can feel safe when there is a war authority of international institutions, in And seven and a half billion inhabitants of Let me tell you one story. The story of a in Ukraine, when there is a war in Europe. particular the United Nations. But we must the planet are not just spectators, but person for whom “being heard” has And it can be fatal to think that this does admit that the mechanisms are not flaw- direct participants in real life. The basics of become the meaning of life. For this man not concern you and will never affect you. less. They start failing and therefore need this life scenario are laid here. And today it had a divine voice. He was called one of the You can’t think of the global and close your an update. depends on everyone present whether it best baritones and countertenors in the eyes to the details or, as it may seem, even United Nations. But let’s be honest – are will be life at all. world. His voice was heard at Carnegie Hall trifles. Because that’s how the foundation nations really united today? And even if so, Honestly, I would really like to call this in New York, Notre Dame Cathedral, Covent for the two world wars was laid. And tens what exactly unites them? Disasters and speech “15 minutes that changed the world.” Garden in London and Grand Opera in of millions of human lives became the price wars. But I am well aware that changing some- Paris. Each of you could have personally of inattention, silence, inaction or unwill- We always hear calls for fair change, just thing that has existed for thousands of years heard his incredible singing. But unfortu- ingness to sacrifice one’s ambitions. Have promises, announcement of new initiatives is simply impossible in 15 minutes. And nately, there is one thing that will not allow humanity started to forget these dreadful from this highest platform in the world. It behavioral theories say that war is an inte- you to do so. I’ll show you. It looks like this. lessons of history? is time to make sure that they are always gral part of human nature. But the world is 12.7 millimeters that not only stopped his Ukraine remembers them. And Ukraine backed by real deeds. Because in the mod- changing and people are changing with it. career, but also stopped his life. It costs has always demonstrated its willingness to ern world, where the human life costs $10, And if we once learned writing, mathemat- $10. And, unfortunately, today on our plan- provide peace in a civilized way. And took words have been devalued long ago. ics, invented the wheel, penicillin and con- et it is the value of human life. steps towards international security. For Let us remember the goal of the U.N.’s quered space, humanity still has a chance. There are thousands of such stories, mil- example, when it gave up its nuclear capa- establishment in 1945? To maintain and Being aware of danger for civilization, lions of such bullets. Welcome to the 21st bility, which at the time was larger than in strengthen peace and international securi- we must generate other meanings. And century. A century of opportunities. Where the U.K., France and China combined. ty. But what shall we do when the very fight for a new human mentality where instead of “being heard” you have an Because it seemed to us that we were all basis of international security is at stake? aggression, anger and hatred will be atro- For any war today – in Ukraine, Syria, phied feelings. Libya, Yemen or any other corner of the Ladies and Gentlemen! On this day, planet, regardless of the number of casual- September 25, Erich Maria Remarque died. ties – is the greatest threat to the entire civi- And 90 years ago the world saw his novel lization. Because in 2019, homo sapiens still “All Quiet on the Western Front.” I recall the resolves conflicts by killing. Throughout its words from its preface: “This is an attempt existence, humanity has been constantly to tell about a generation crippled by war. finding new ways to overcome distance, About those who fell victim to it, even flee- transfer information, cure diseases. ing shells.” And 90 years ago the world saw And only one thing remains unchanged: another novel. It’s Ernest Hemingway’s “A contradictions between nations and states Farewell to Arms.” Here’s a quote from it: are still resolved not by words, but by mis- “War cannot be won by victories. The one siles. who wins the war never stops fighting…” Not by word. But by war. The world must remember: every next Don’t think that war is far away. Its meth- crippled generation is a path to a new war. ods, technology and weapons have made Which is impossible, just impossible to win our planet not so big anymore. And today, with victories. the time I spent on the last paragraph is Someone says now: “There will be no enough to destroy the Earth completely. World War III. It will be the last one.” I hope This means that each leader is responsi- this phrase is an awareness of the threat to ble not only for the fate of his own country, the planet, not an announcement. Ukraine’s delegation at the 74th session of the U.N. General Assembly. but also for the fate of the whole world. In Thank you!

to thank the St. Paul community, particular- UCCLF members gathered for the cere- from war-torn Europe to Canada. Internment... ly Dr. Amil Shapka and his son Tanis, for mony in St. Paul also discussed near future This project will involve the unveiling of their extraordinary efforts in making this initiatives, including a project title “Heroes a commemorative stained-glass window in (Continued from page 1) monument possible. We couldn’t have done of Their Day,” which will honor the London, England, in the spring of 2020. The “We’re very pleased with the evocative it without them and so many others, and we Ukrainian Canadian men and women who public is invited to financially support this appearance of the monument, as well as the hope to do similar educational and com- volunteered for overseas duty during project and others by donating at www. local turnout for the unveiling,” said newly memorative projects throughout Kalyna World War II, some of whom helped rescue ucclf.ca. elected UCCLF Chair Borys Sydoruk. “I’d like Country, and elsewhere in Canada.” and settle Ukrainian displaced persons Source: UCCLF. No. 40 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 5

UNA CELEBRATES 125 YEARS: A snapshot from history, 1921

Seen on the left is a truly historic photo from 1921, when Ukrainian Catholic Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky visited the headquarters building of the Ukrainian National Association and its Svoboda Press publishing house, located at 83 Grand St. in Jersey City, N.J. Seen with the honored visitor from Ukraine (second from left in the front row), who was then on a tour of Ukrainian communities in the United States, are: (front row, from left) UNA Supreme Recording Secretary Ivan Kashtaniuk; Svoboda administration staffer Maria Kyrchiv; UNA Supreme President Semen Yadlovsky; (back row) Anthony Onysyk, Supreme Financial Secretary Roman Slobodian; former Supreme Recording Secretary Stephen Mylianovych; unidentified priest, Stephen Hladky and Peter Matsiyovsky, Svoboda employ- ees; and Svoboda Manager Constantine Kyrchiv. Metropolitan Andrey visited his faithful in Western Europe and North and South America during the course of more than two years in the early 1920s.

A photo archive of UNA history has been launched on the UNA website. It is a work in progress that will be expanded and refined. To take a look, go to unainc.org/una/the-una-is- 125-years-old/.

New Jersey District Committee holds fall organizing meeting by Oksana Stanko PARSIPPANY, N.J. – The Ukrainian National Association’s New Jersey District Committee held its fall organizing meeting here at the UNA Home Office on Monday, September 16. Yuriy Symczyk, chief operating officer/ national secretary, and Roma Lisovich, chief financial offi- cer/treasurer, represented the UNA Executive Committee. In attendance were members of UNA Branches 25, 37, 42, 76, 155, 171 and 269. The meeting was led by District Chair Oksana Stanko, who is also an advisor on the UNA General Assembly. George Stanko was selected to record the minutes of the meeting. He also read the minutes from the district’s previ- ous organizing meeting, held in November 2018. In her report, Ms. Stanko reported on life insurance sales for the first eight months of this year, noting that 13 of the 22 new policies sold by UNA branch secretaries and orga- nizers were attributed to the New Jersey District for a total face value of $170,319. Ms. Stanko thanked all secretaries and organizers for their efforts to enroll new members. Matthew Dubas Ms. Stanko also reported that, as a result of a suggestion Participants of the New Jersey District Committee’s fall organizing meeting. made at last year’s meeting to reach out to all members of the UNA, letters were sent from the Home Office during the Ms. Lisovich reported on financial highlights from the General Assembly meeting in November. Official notifica- Christmas and New Year season to all active and paid up second quarter of 2019, pointing out that the UNA is con- tions will appear in both Svoboda and The Ukrainian members. This had the added benefit of giving the Home tinuing to experience net profit trending above 2018 on an Weekly. Office an opportunity to update members’ addresses in its annualized basis. Total net admitted assets as of June 30 The discussion then turned to the UNA’s upcoming database as address corrections came back to the office in were $176,078,000, and the total surplus was $11,412,000. 125th anniversary concert to be held on November 2 at Parsippany. She also noted that the rate increases for annuity products Dolan Hall, College of St. Elizabeth, in Morristown, N.J. Finally, Ms. Stanko reported that the UNA continues to approved at the end of the first quarter have not yet been Ticket sales are going very well. The district decided to raf- be a visible presence at tri-state area festivals. To date, rep- reflected in annuity sales and that an agent recruitment fle off two free tickets each at the annual Ukrainian Festival resentatives manned tables in South Bound Brook, N.J., plan is being implemented. in Whippany, N.J., and at Holy Ascension Ukrainian during the St. Thomas Sunday observances (May 4-5); the Mr. Symczyk reported that at the most recent UNA Orthodox Cathedral’s festival in Clifton on September 22. Ukrainian Cultural Festival at Soyuzivka Heritage Center on Executive Committee meeting a goal was set to merge inac- The district also plans to participate in the post-concert July 13; Tryzubivka in Horsham, Pa., on August 25; tive branches or branches without secretaries with other reception to be held for the concert’s performers at the Stamford, Conn., on September 8; and Passaic, N.J., on more active branches. Work on this is in progress, and fur- Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey in September 15. ther discussions and decisions will be made at the UNA Whippany. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 No. 40

WINDOW ON EURASIA THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY The Weekly’s 86th anniversary All Moscow proposals for Donbas On the very date of this issue of The Ukrainian Weekly, we mark the 86th anniver- sary of its establishment – a significant milestone in the life of our community. seek to maintain Russian infl uence This newspaper was born thanks to the initiative of Svoboda’s visionary Editor- by Paul Goble Russian military presence.” in-Chief Luke Myshuha, which was based on his concept of “two homelands,” where- Such a plan would also allow Russian by Ukrainians could at once be true patriots of Ukraine and loyal citizens of the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey elites to profit and ensure the neutraliza- countries where they resided. And it was born with the mission of keeping new gen- Lavrov says the future status of Ukraine’s tion of Ukraine, Mr. Portnikov says. And in erations of Ukrainians born in America involved in our community life. Donbas should be like what Moscow has this regard, he continues, Mr. Zelenskyy’s The Ukrainian National Association’s 18th Convention in May 1933 adopted a rec- proposed for Moldova’s breakaway region constant talk about a referendum on Euro- ommendation that the organization’s Supreme Assembly (today known as the of Transdniestria, journalist and political Atlantic integration is a means by which General Assembly) look into publishing an English-language periodical geared commentator Vitaly Portnikov comments. Ukrainians could give up any drive to join toward the younger generations. Thus, at the special meeting of the Supreme That would mean the permanent federal- NATO and thus represents “preparation for Assembly that year in July, it was decided to begin publication of an English-language ization and neutralization of Ukraine ‘a quiet capitulation’” to Moscow. supplement to the daily newspaper Svoboda that would be called The Ukrainian ensured by the continued presence of In his statement, Mr. Lavrov declared Weekly. Russian troops. that “the law is the law, but the opinion of The new newspaper was part of the youth outreach program developed by the The author of this plan, Andrey Yermak, the self-proclaimed republics must be con- UNA’s leaders. UNA Supreme President Nicholas Murashko wrote on the front page a deputy prime minister of the Russian sidered,” words that gut the Minsk of The Weekly’s premiere issue: “For the past 39 years Ukrainian immigrants in Federation, has been in active contact with Agreements and mean that the chief goal of America have been building up the Ukrainian National Association, together with its Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy, Moscow is “the preservation of ‘peoples organ, Svoboda – the first newspaper edited in the in America. the Ukrainian commentator says (www. republics’ and of Russian forces on From a humble beginning, the Ukrainian National Association has grown during radiosvoboda.org/a/30187796.html). Ukrainian territory” to ensure Ukraine these years into a nationwide $3 million fraternal organization with 35,000 mem- This idea is now in active competition remains neutral. bers; and the Svoboda, from a weekly issue to the largest Ukrainian daily in America. with two others: the first is that Vladislav The same goal animates the proposals of Coincident with this growth of the Ukrainian National Association and its Svoboda Surkov, a Putin aide, has long been associat- Messrs. Surkov and Kozak with only this has been the growth of the younger generation of American-Ukrainians.” Thus, ed with, “the preservation of ‘the peoples difference: in Mr. Surkov’s mind, the peo- President Murashko continued, “The time has come when this youth must begin to republics’ as quasi-states, as levers on ple’s republics would remain puppet take over the reins of the association from its builders,” and a pivotal role in engag- Ukraine and an instrument for the profit of “states” under the Kremlin’s protectorate, ing the youth would be played by The Ukrainian Weekly. the Russian political elite; and the second, while in Mr. Kozak’s, they would be that The Weekly’s first editor was 25-year-old Stephen Shumeyko, who fervently that of Dmitry Kozak, who wants “the “but with their formal return into the com- believed the new newspaper had a most important role: to instill in its young read- incorporation” of these republics into position of Ukraine,” Mr. Portnikov notes. ers “the idea that as Americans of Ukrainian descent they are duty-bound to help Ukraine but with “the preservation of their Mr. Zelenskyy must reject “the danger- their kinsmen in foreign-occupied and oppressed Ukraine to win the national free- ‘state infrastructure’ and of course the ous illusion” that it is possible to achieve an dom for which they have been fighting and sacrificing for so many years.” agreement with the Kremlin “on Russian And therein lay another founding mission of The Ukrainian Weekly: to inform the Paul Goble is a long-time specialist on conditions,” the commentator says. Instead, English-speaking public about the Holodomor then decimating the population of ethnic and religious questions in Eurasia. “Kyiv’s goal must be the restoration of the Ukraine. It was a crucial time in history, and Ukraine’s story needed to be told. The article above is reprinted with permis- territorial integrity of the country and the Indeed, as news trickled out of Ukraine, Svoboda had published English-language sion from his blog called “Window on real re-integration of the Donbas,” not its articles confirming the horrors of the forced starvation. In its very first issue, The Eurasia” (http://windowoneurasia2. return as a cancerous and potentially fate Weekly reported that mass meetings were being held by Ukrainians throughout blogspot.com/). tumor within Ukraine. America and Canada “protesting against the barbaric attempts of the Bolshevik regime to deliberately starve out and depopulate the Ukrainian people in Ukraine.” The newspaper explained: “The purpose of this intentional starvation by the Bolsheviks is to forever quell the Ukrainian struggle for freedom. Since the over- COMMENTARY throw of the Ukrainian National Republic by the Bolsheviks 15 years ago, the latter have used every conceivable terroristic weapon to stamp out the Ukrainian attempts to free themselves. Thousands of Ukrainians have been summarily shot for the slightest political offense; other thousands were sent to certain death to Siberia and Ukraine needs peace, but not at all costs the notorious Solovetsky prison islands. …” Over 5 million have died during the past year from the deliberately imposed starvation, The Weekly wrote. by Paul Grod border, and then we will hold a free elec- Thus began the history of The Ukrainian Weekly, which alongside Svoboda pro- tion.” The formula for peace is clear. moted the independence of Ukraine, discussed the plight of refugees and displaced Ukraine is at the center of a U.S. domes- Unfortunately, Mr. Kuchma was not opti- persons after World War II, and spearheaded campaigns to erect a monument in tic political crisis that may impact the mistic about the much-anticipated Washington to Taras Shevchenko and to establish Ukrainian studies chairs at American presidency and weaken Ukraine Normandy Format meeting.” Zelenskyy will Harvard. It was The Weekly that led the charge in advocating the establishment of at a critical moment. As Ukrainian have a very hard time – it will be one the U.S. Commission on the Ukraine Famine. The Weekly’s Ukrainian American jour- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy came to against three people,” he predicted. nalists were on the ground in Ukraine already in January 1991 – even before the the United States for the opening of the Last month’s successful prisoner declaration of the independence of Ukraine on August 24 of that year. And, The United Nations General Assembly and his exchange between the Kremlin and Kyiv Weekly was the first to publish an English-language translation of that historic docu- first meeting with U.S. President Donald renewed hope that peace might finally be ment. Since then, we’ve had the opportunity – and the duty – to report on historic Trump, he had a tough task: he needed to achievable. But Moscow’s actions show developments in Ukraine, as well as the evolution of our diaspora community. resist getting pulled into the partisan fight, that there is no willingness by Russia to Which brings us to today. while convincing Mr. Trump to back find a lasting solution. Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine’s position for peace. objectives are straightforward. He wishes Association exists: to preserve the Ukrainian, Ukrainian American and Ukrainian This month, Ukraine, Russia, France and to control Ukraine as part of Russia’s CanadianОne of heritagethe points and in culture.” the UNA’s A key Mission role in Statement fulfilling thatis: “The mission Ukrainian continues National to be Germany are expected to meet in Paris to sphere of influence by either permanently played by the UNA’s two newspapers. Long may they serve our community. hammer out a peace deal to end a war that inserting a Russian-controlled regional gov- Russia started five years ago, killing nearly ernment in Ukraine or by continuing to 15,000 Ukrainians, seriously wounding destabilize Ukraine and turn it into a failed thousands and displacing another 1.6 mil- state through his ongoing war. lion in eastern Ukraine. The challenge is not whether the Minsk Oct. Turning the pages back... Ukraine is at risk of coming to the table Agreements should be implemented but with a weak hand, unless the United States how they are implemented. Russia wants Ukraine to recognize special status for the Two years ago, on October 6, 2017, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada throws its full support behind it and Donbas region and hold immediate elec- passed a law that named Russia as an aggressor state pursuant encourages Europe to do the same. 6 Germany and France see Mr. Zelenskyy’s tions that would have the Russian- to international conventions and enabled the armed forces to controlled mercenaries become members 2017 better defend the nation’s sovereign territory. political inexperience as an opportunity to Previously, the war was deemed by law as an “anti-terrorist achieve a breakthrough in the Normandy of Ukraine’s Parliament. Ukraine and its operation” (ATO) that was de jure supposed to be led by the Format talks, hoping he will compromise allies have always held the position that Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). And that actually was the case in the early stages of on issues when his predecessor would not. elections will be held in the Donbas only Moscow’s covert invasion of Ukraine in April 2014, when Ukraine’s government lost con- During a recent discussion at the Yalta after the Russian troops and mercenaries trol of numerous cities and towns in the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. European Strategy annual meeting in Kyiv, together with their weapons leave the ter- The new law “catches up with reality on the ground,” said a note to investors by Kyiv- Leonid Kuchma, Ukraine’s former presi- ritories and Ukraine regains control over based Dragon Capital. dent and lead negotiator in the Minsk the Russian-Ukrainian border, IDPs are The law also deems areas not controlled by Ukrainian government forces in the Donbas Agreements, sensibly said “Let’s comply allowed to return to their homes, and sev- as “temporarily occupied,” like a similar law currently in force regarding the Ukrainian ter- with the Minsk accords. Security comes eral months pass and rebuilding begins. first. You need to pull out the troops, pull (Continued on page 16) out the heavy weaponry, give us back the (Continued on page 9) No. 40 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 7

IN THE PRESS Trump, Zelenskyy and Ukraine “Can We Please Talk About How (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opin- Ukrainians Feel About This?” by Alyona ions/global-opinions/under-trump-weve- Getmanchuk. The New York Times, finally-become-part-of-the-ukrainian- September 24 (https://www.nytimes. swamp/2019/09/ 20/0c97574a-dbc1-11e9- com/2019/09/24/opinion/trump-ukraine- bfb1-849887369476_story.html?fbclid=IwA Th ey made a diff erence at a key time corruption.html?fbclid=IwAR0j4Xrxc-zayVb- R2WPwdcG21JsScwhKmsP0hsPSNXYnfNai NBgU_s2cefqDrjk8IfYM-VD8rDCMwWvzst UiQi0UQ_vacveu7v4mhUd0oMw): This year, the Ukrainian American com- ership of the tireless Osyp Zinkewych (see C_3f8LiniY): …In the world as it existed up until 2016, munity is celebrating 125 years of orga- fellow columnist Andrew Fedynsky’s …Ukrainians consider the United States, U.S. and European powers would be push- nized community life – which started when September 29, 2017, tribute in this news- along with Poland, our primary ally in the ing [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy hard to make the Ukrainian National Association (UNA) paper), Smoloskyp took an active part in world. the right decisions. Certainly Ukraine’s for- was established as a fraternal insurance various human rights campaigns, orga- And so it is bitter to learn that under eign friends – among them the organization in 1894 in Shamokin, Pa. nized protest campaigns against political Donald Trump, it appears that the leader- International Monetary Fund, several In addition to the UNA with its long his- repression in Ukraine, and disseminated ship of the United States has now joined the European governments and former vice tory, the Ukrainian Congress Committee of factual information on Soviet repression, list of those who would use Ukraine to pur- president , who often represented America, the Ukrainian National Women’s which it often obtained through clandes- sue their own narrow ends, and do so in the Obama administration in Ukraine – League of North America, Plast Ukrainian tine channels and its network of couriers. ways that hinder our own efforts to improve pushed the previous government hard to Scouting Organization, the Ukrainian Working with Messrs. Zinkewych and our country. It is especially painful that this create institutions that would fight corrup- American Youth Association (a.k.a. SUM) Fedynsky, and other Smoloskyp activists, is happening at a moment when the new tion, and not just talk about it. But the and other organizations have been main- for several years after I arrived in Ukrainian leadership desperately needs a Western world since 2016 has been led by stays of Ukrainian community life since the Washington 40 years ago as a young gradu- functional partnership with Washington. … a new kind of American president, one who post-World War II immigration. They con- ate student was in itself a terrific learning And Ukraine remains in a precarious posi- hopes to use Ukraine’s old habits of politi- tinue to play important roles in maintain- experience. Among other activities, tion. Crimea is still under Russian control, and cized justice for his own benefit. ing and fostering the community. Smoloskyp also published an English- the war in the east continues; the fight against Over the summer, the Trump White There has been a plethora of other orga- language human rights quarterly, on which corruption at home is also not yet won. In all House held up promised military aid to nizations and groups – some more struc- I, along with my brother Yuri and others, of these matters, Ukraine is reliant on biparti- Ukraine, for reasons that were left ambigu- tured, others more informal – that also served on the editorial board. san American support, which is why our ous. In Kiev [sic], many believe the delay made important contributions to the com- Other organizations engaged in more leadership is desperate to avoid becoming was caused by Trump’s demand that munity’s development and well-being at direct advocacy, such as the New Jersey- part of the American presidential campaign. Zelenskyy’s government conduct a series of one point or other during the last 125 based Americans for Human Rights in Ukraine is now facing the prospect of spurious, politicized investigations, years. For a whole host of reasons, most no Ukraine (AHRU), led by Ihor Olshaniwsky, becoming a double victim: on the one hand, designed both to smear Biden and to exon- longer exist, but during their period of and later his wife, Bozhena, and Walter a victim of Mr. Putin’s aggression; on the erate Paul Manafort, who was deeply activity, many truly made a difference. It Bodnar. With meager resources, they other, a victim of Mr. Trump’s desire to be involved with the most corrupt part of the would take tomes to cover them all. Let me assembled a group of activists from across re-elected at any price. Ukrainian political class for many years. … briefly mention and pay tribute to several the U.S. who would quickly mobilize to …If Mr. Trump wants to give a boost to Instead of pushing Ukraine to stick to that were specifically involved in advocacy advocate on behalf of a specific issue. They his campaign with the help of Ukraine, he the law, as any other U.S. president would in the nation’s capital in the critically can do so by helping Mr. [Volodymyr] have done in the past, Trump might have paid considerable attention to the Ukrainian important 1980s and 1990s, during Helsinki Group and to other political prison- Zelenskyy to end war in the east on condi- pushed Ukraine to manipulate the law for Ukraine’s historic time of transition to tions acceptable to the Ukrainian people. his benefit. Zelenskyy, a comedian entrust- ers, which resonated well in a Congress that independence. was broadly sympathetic to Ukraine’s fight Ukraine would like to remain what it has ed with the transformation of his country Ukrainian American community groups been now, for the past five years: a reliable away from its post-Soviet mentality, has for freedom. As a staffer at the Commission that advocated the Ukrainian cause in partner for the United States, not a source been blocked by Trump, a reality television on Security and Cooperation in Europe Washington in the late 1970s and 1980s of “kompromat” for domestic political star who has brought a post-Soviet mentali- (Helsinki Commission), which focused on focused their activity on human rights, infighting. ty into the White House, using public office Soviet human rights violations, I could for private gain, undermining legal institu- including the plight of political prisoners – always count on AHRU and their informal “Democrats’ double standard on tions and even using government power to notably, members of the Ukrainian Helsinki network of activists for timely and effective Ukraine,” by Marc A. Thiessen, The put pressure on business. … Group. Prior to its 1991 independence, support for our commission initiatives on Washington Post, September 24 (https:// Ukraine was a relative terra-incognita on Ukraine – whether it be getting Members of www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/ “The Big Costs of Treating Ukraine official Washington’s political map, let Congress to co-sponsor our resolutions 09/24/democrats-investigation-might-do- Like Little Trumpland,” by Mike Giglio, alone among the American media and pub- regarding Ukraine or to sign on to our let- more-hurt-biden-than-trump/): The Atlantic, September 25 (https://www. lic. It was a very different world from the ters on behalf of individual Ukrainian pris- We don’t yet know whether President theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/09/ one we have now, one where media cover- oners of conscience. One of AHRU’s and Mr. Trump delayed some military aid to trumps-ukraine-strong-arm-hurts-ally- age of Ukraine is commonplace and, more Olshaniwsky’s most notable contributions Ukraine as leverage to get Ukraine’s presi- countering-russia/598741/): importantly, where Ukraine enjoys sub- was the establishment of the U.S. dent to reopen an investigation into Hunter …In pushing Ukraine’s new, pro-Western stantial bipartisan support from America’s Commission on the Ukraine Famine at a Biden. But if we are concerned about U.S. president to investigate his political rival Joe political establishment. time when the Holodomor was still an officials inappropriately threatening aid to Biden, Trump has taken a page from Putin’s Back then, the U.S. government paid rela- unknown. Without Ihor, who left us all too Ukraine, then there are others who have book – treating Ukraine as something like tively little attention to what was effectively soon in 1986 at the age of 57, I do not some explaining to do. Little Trumpland and its president like a a colony – albeit an important one – of an believe this ground-breaking commission empire. The media and general public paid It got almost no attention, but in May, CNN world leader who has to do his bidding. … would have been created. reported that Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), The irony in this saga is that in Volodymyr even less attention. Congress, however, did I will mention two other groups whose Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and Patrick J. Leahy Zelenskyy, Trump has been trying to strong- care about Ukraine and much of this was membership consisted of almost exclusive- (D-Vt.) wrote a letter to Ukraine’s prosecutor arm a Ukrainian leader who has vowed to due to the efforts of various groups and indi- ly women. (Sorry guys, even growing up in general, , expressing concern root out the endemic corruption that viduals within the Ukrainian American com- the Cleveland area in the 1960s and ’70s, it at the closing of four investigations they said plagues his country. So Trump’s admitted munity. During that time, one of the best often seemed that Ukrainian women were were critical to the Mueller probe. In the let- insistence, during a July 25 phone call with ways to influence America’s political estab- more active than men, with all due respect ter, they implied that their support for U.S. Zelenskyy, that Ukraine investigate discredit- lishment about Ukraine was by focusing on to all of the dynamic male Ukrainian assistance to Ukraine was at stake. Describing ed allegations against Biden over his eldest the defense of human rights, and especially Americans). During the 1980s, there was themselves as “strong advocates for a robust son’s business dealings in the country – on individual cases of repression of the Philadelphia based Human Rights and close relationship with Ukraine,” the against a backdrop of Trump freezing more Ukrainian patriots. This resonated and was Committee. Led by Ulana Mazurkevich, this Democratic senators declared, “We have sup- than $391 million in military aid – appears a more realistic approach to help tell the team of dedicated Ukrainian women would ported [the] capacity-building process and to have fallen on the ears of a man who story of Ukraine’s struggle for freedom at a often come into D.C. to advocate on the Hill, are disappointed that some in Kyiv appear to seems unlikely to bend to such demands. time when it appeared to almost everyone – organizing events and, importantly, getting have cast aside these [democratic] principles …a rift in the Ukraine-U.S. relationship at least until the late 1980s – that the “evil to avoid the ire of President Trump,” before can also hurt America in its own struggle empire” would be around for a long time. to know influential members of Congress, demanding Lutsenko “reverse course and against Russia. Ukraine’s spy services and Ukrainian groups advocated in various including some of my bosses at the Helsinki halt any efforts to impede cooperation with military forces have become an important ways. Some provided invaluable informa- Commission. These personal connections, this important investigation.” U.S. partner in countering Russia – espe- tion to Congress or to other organizations at times, proved to be helpful to me in my So, it’s okay for Democratic senators to cially in the realm of hybrid warfare, which working on behalf of Ukraine. Smoloskyp, own Ukraine-related work at the commis- encourage Ukraine to investigate Trump, Moscow has deployed so effectively against an organization in defense of human rights sion. Another informal group was the D.C.- but it’s not okay for the president to alleg- America and its allies. Lost amid the accu- in Ukraine, was one of the largest publish- based Ukrainian American Community edly encourage Ukraine to investigate sations that Trump has used U.S. aid as Network (UACN), led by Larissa Fontana, ? … leverage to push Ukraine to do his political ers and disseminators of Ukrainian dissi- dent literature (samvydav). Under the lead- which, often working with AHRU, informed bidding is the fact that while Kiev [sic] is the community on how to support “Welcome, Americans, to the heavily reliant on America to defend repressed Ukrainian political prisoners and Ukrainian swamp,” by Anne Applebaum, against Russia, America needs help from Orest Deychakiwsky may be reached at The Washington Post, September 20 Kiev too. … [email protected]. (Continued on page 15) 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 No. 40 No. 40 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 9

HISTORICAL COMMENTARY Anti-Semitism in Ukraine?

by Paul Robert Magocsi 17th centuries that significant numbers of Ukrainian lands. Particularly fruitful has the future may bring, I view the electoral Jews settled permanently in Ukrainian been the economic, linguistic and cultural results in another light – as a great success. The recent elections in Ukraine have lands. This was a time when most of interaction between Jews and ethnic Success in the sense that the election cam- prompted some political commentators to Ukraine was ruled by the Polish-Lithuanian Ukrainians. By the late 19th and 20th cen- paign revealed the degree of political matu- note with a degree of surprise, even aston- Commonwealth. Jews were granted certain turies, these interactions and mutual influ- rity of Ukrainian society. ishment, that alongside Israel, Ukraine is the privileges by the ruling Polish kings, while ences were particularly noticeable in socio- It seems that hardly anyone gave a sec- only country in the world that has a presi- the socioeconomic status of ethnic economic life as well as in literature, the ond thought to the ethnic or religious back- dent and a prime minister, both of whom Ukrainians and other peoples was worsen- arts, music and theater. ground of the candidates. Mr. Zelenskyy are Jewish. Why the surprise and astonish- ing. The number of Jews in Ukraine was ini- During those same 19th and 20th centu- may be a Russian-speaking Ukrainian, and ment? Because Ukraine historically has a tially rather small, reaching about 54,000 ries, Jews shared the fate of other peoples he may be of concern to some because of reputation of being rife with anti-Semitism. by the mid-17th century. who were caught up in the conflicts that his inexperience, while to others he repre- Whether or not such a reputation is justi- That was also a time when the Polish- raged at times in one or another part of sents a positive new face in the govern- fied, the anti-Semitic stereotype of Ukraine Lithuanian Commonwealth entered a peri- Ukraine. Jews, as well as Roman Catholic ment. But the fact that he is of Jewish back- exists to this day, in particular among dia- od of decline that lasted until 1795, when Poles and Greek-Catholic ethnic Ukrainians ground was irrelevant during the electoral sporan Jews and their sympathizers in vari- Poland-Lithuanian literally disappeared were killed during the mid-17th century campaign. Such irrelevance is indeed a ous parts of the Western world. from the map of Europe. From then on, Khmelnytsky uprising and the late 18th- good thing, because it reflects a new reality: I will return to present-day Ukraine and Ukrainian lands were ruled by two states: century Haidamak revolts. A century later, Ukrainians consciously or unconsciously the significance of the recent elections. But the Russian Empire and the Austrian Jews were singled out as victims of the first define themselves as Ukrainians because before doing so, it might be useful to say Empire. By the end of the 19th century, the pogroms that occurred under Russian rule. they are citizens of a state called Ukraine something about the context of Ukraine number of Jews in Ukrainian lands had The worst of the pogroms took place in not because they are, or are not, of ethnic and how Jews came to live there. increased to nearly 2.9 million (2 million in 1919 during the Russian Civil War, when Ukrainian background. There are two basic factors to keep in Ukraine; 660,000 in Galicia; Jews (alongside other well-to-do inhabit- This positive reality that characterizes mind in order to understand Ukraine. As a 102,000 in Bukovyna; 87,000 in ants of Mennonite, Greek and Polish back- Ukrainian society was reflected not long civilization, Ukraine is old, very old. But as a Transcarpathia). Their legal and social sta- ground) were killed in various parts of the ago in a poll conducted by the respected state, it is young, very young. Despite some tus differed greatly, however, depending in former imperial Russian-ruled Ukraine. PEW Research Center, according to which proto-state structures and efforts to gain which empire they lived. And finally came the mid-20th century Ukraine ranked lowest of all countries in independence in the past, Ukraine as a sov- For instance, the roughly 2 million Jews Holocaust and the general destruction of Central and eastern Europe with regard to ereign state only came into being in 1991, who inhabited Ukrainian lands in the World War II, when of the 3.9 million civil- negative attitudes toward Jews. True, there that is a mere 28 years ago. In other words, Russian Empire were restricted to residing ians killed in Ukraine, an estimated one may be isolated instances of anti-Jewish- Ukraine has until then been ruled by other in an area known as the Pale of Settlement. quarter of them (850,000 to 900,000) were ness, but in essence there is little anti-Semi- states. Therefore, Ukrainians have not con- By contrast, the 850,000 who inhabited Jews. In the case of the Holocaust, Jews tism in present-day Ukraine. trolled their own political destiny but have “Ukrainian” lands of the Austrian Empire were singled out for extermination not The problem with negative stereotypes been subject to the rule of outsiders. (Galicia, Bukovyna, Transcarpathia) could because they were the enemies of the Nazi about Ukraine is derived from a superficial The second factor is the multinational reside anywhere they wished and enjoy German or Romanian invaders and occupi- understanding of the past. Too much histo- character of Ukraine. The lands that encom- rights equal to all other subjects of Austria’s ers, but because they were Jews. ry based on cherry-picked facts might lead pass present-day independent Ukraine have Habsburg rulers. It is the memory of these destructive one to agree with one Israeli commentator, always been home to many different peo- After World War I and the collapse of the events that has contributed to the perpetu- the Auschwitz survivor Yehuda Elkana who, ples. Although ethnic Ukrainians are the Russian and Austro-Hungarian empires in ation of the anti-Semitic stereotype recently writing about the Holocaust on the numerical majority, they have always lived 1917-1918, Jews in present-day Ukraine attached to Ukraine and to all Ukrainians. pages of the Israeli newspaper Haaretz alongside many other, what we may call, found themselves in four new sates: the As one Jewish visitor from Israel (Daniel K. (April 25, 2019), raised the issue about “the dominant and subordinate peoples. Soviet Union, Poland, Romania and Czecho­ Eisenbud) noted a few years ago in the need to forget.” The dominant peoples were those asso- slovakia. This political situation lasted until Jerusalem Post (November 15, 2012): For a people like the Jews, whose cultur- ciated with states that at various times the outbreak of World War II in September “Despite Ukraine’s undeniable bucolic al and educational formation requires them ruled all or part of Ukraine, such as ethnic 1939 and the Nazi German invasion (with beauty,” because of its “flagrant anti-Semi- never to forget, Mr. Elkana’s suggestion Russians, Poles, Crimean Tatars, Austro- nominal assistance of Romania and tism ... I in turn began to view it as the ugli- about “the need to forget” is simply unreal- Germans and Hungarians. The subordinate Hungary) of the Soviet Union in June 1941. est place I had ever set foot in.” But are such istic, some would say immoral. I would sug- peoples are those who are generally When World War II ended in 1945, the stereotypical attitudes justified? gest that while one should not forget, one referred to as minorities – peoples who Ukrainian lands as we know them today If we take the last four and one-half cen- should make every effort to learn, contextu- have had little or no political power and were for the first time in history under the turies of the major Jewish presence in alize and remember not only the horrors of were of a lower social status, such as Jews, rule of one state – the Soviet Union. This Ukraine, of those 450 years, only 16 to 20 at the past but also the very many positive Armenians, Greeks, Romanians, Bulgarians, situation lasted until the Soviet Union came most were marked by periods of violence. aspects of Jewish life in Ukraine. Mennonites, and Belarusians, not to men- to an end in late 1991, when independent And that violence, we should not forget, was Such contextualized learning is the only tion ethnic Ukrainians themselves. Ukraine was born. perpetuated not solely against Jews. In real basis on which to assure an on-going And so, when we use the term “Ukrainian,” One result of these political changes is other words, for 430 years Jews lived along- healthy relationship between Jewish we are really referring to citizens of a country that for the longest time there were no side ethnic Ukrainians and other peoples of Ukrainians, ethnic Ukrainians, and all other who derive from a whole host of ethno- “Ukrainian Jews.” Of course, Jews lived in Ukraine in a state of cooperative tolerance, if Ukrainians regardless of their ethnolinguistic national or religious backgrounds, only one what we today know as Ukraine, but they not harmony. It was during those 430 years or religious background. The book “Jews and of which is ethnic Ukrainian. were designated by others – and by them- that mutual relations and influences, wheth- Ukrainians: A Millennium of Co-Existence” Among the subordinate minority peoples selves – as Russian Jews, Polish Jews, or er in the arts, crafts, economic and civic life, (by Paul Robert Magocsi and Yohanan who historically inhabited Ukrainian lands Austrian Jews (perhaps Galizianer), even intermarriage, developed. Petrovsky-Shtern, University of Toronto were the Jews. A Jewish presence has been Carpathian Jews, or Soviet Jews. These This, then, is the larger context for the Press, 2016) may be helpful to those who attested as far back as the eighth and ninth labels stuck and are still used today by recent presidential elections that we have truly wish to learn and appreciate fully the centuries, whether transient traders and many Jews and their descendants living in recently seen. value of mutual respect and understanding. craftsmen settled along the Black and Azov Israel and diasporan communities through- Many observers of Ukraine have focused seacoasts under the rule of the Khazars, or out Europe and North America. on the political inexperience of President Paul Robert Magocsi is professor of histo- in the city of Kyiv itself, the center of the Ukraine’s Jews, at least since the late Volodymyr Zelenskyy and how such inex- ry and political science at the University of medieval state known as Kyivan Rus’. 16th and early 17th centuries, have shared perience might have a negative impact on Toronto, where he holds the Chair of It was only in the late 16th and early the fate of all minority peoples living on the country’s immediate future. Whatever Ukrainian Studies.

tions be supervised by the Organization for exactly what Mr. Putin wants. Ukraine can- in eastern Ukraine. A Putin-led peace plan Ukraine needs... Security and Cooperation in Europe and the not agree to elections until security for its will fracture Ukraine beyond repair. Russian forces would be contained to their citizens can be guaranteed, real political If anyone’s hand must be forced, it (Continued from page 6) barracks. This is a farcical proposal. When discourse is allowed, and those residents should be Mr. Putin’s. The United States, In September in Berlin, German interloc- the OSCE invariably declares that the elec- who were forced to flee are able to return Canada, the European Union and their utors who are directly involved in the tions failed to meet international standards, and vote. allies must continue to increase sanctions Normandy Format peace discussions, out- the new leaders will face no recourse from The United States, Germany and France against Russia and support for Ukraine. lined their peace proposal. Astonishingly, the OSCE, as has happened in dozens of elec- must not force Ukraine’s hand in accepting Buckling to Mr. Putin will further embolden they proposed that Ukraine should agree to tions throughout the former Soviet Union. any form of peace deal that will compel him and prove that aggression works, Russia’s terms and hold elections in the The “peace at all costs” formula will Ukraine to hold elections while the occu- which will have grave consequences far occupied territories prior to any troop legitimize the foreign occupation forces in pied territories in Donbas remain a police beyond Ukraine. withdrawal or return of the half the popula- Ukraine, create a lasting divide in the coun- state under Russian control. Otherwise, tion that fled because of the occupation. try, and pull Ukraine away from its path these “allies” will permanently destabilize Paul Grod is president of the Ukrainian The Germans proposed that these elec- toward Euro-Atlantic integration, which is Ukraine with a Russian-controlled enclave World Congress. 10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 No. 40 No. 40 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 11

Los Angeles celebrates Ukraine’s renewed independence by Luba Poniatyszyn Keske pendent state. To mark this significant occasion, LOS ANGELES – On Sunday, August 25, Michael Sawkiw, executive vice-president of over 300 people gathered at the Ukrainian the Ukrainian Congress Committee of Culture Center to celebrate the 28th anni- America (UCCA), and Natalia Lokatur, Head versary of Ukraine’s renewed independence. of the Department for International Walt Zozula, the center’s president, wel- Relations of Precarpathian National comed everyone with a brief address. University in Ivano-Frankivsk, spoke about Under this year’s theme “One Nation the importance of the proclamation of uni- Independent,” the Ukrainian community fication and the effect it had on the future of also commemorated a historical event – the Ukraine and its people. Mr. Sawkiw spoke 100th anniversary of the unification of the in English, and Ms. Lokatur in Ukrainian. Ukrainian National Republic and the The program, which was presented by Western Ukrainian Republic into one inde- the Ukrainian Culture Center and the

Oleg Kharchenko Asya Gorska performs the song “My Ukraine” with participants of the concert in the background. Ukrainian Art Center of Los Angeles, was Culture Center. Daria Chaikovsky, president directed by Victoria Kuzina and Asya of the Ukrainian Art Center, introduced Ola Gorska. The masters of ceremonies Ms. Rondiak, noting that because Ms. Rondiak’s Kuzina (in Ukrainian) and Maxim Kuzin (in artwork was so much in demand, it took English) moved the program along gra- her center over two years to bring the ciously and informatively. The stage was exhibit to southern California. decorated beautifully by Elizabeth Yemetz Ms. Rondiak, who was born in the United and Victor Mokohonenko with the words States but has made her home in Kyiv since “One Nation Independent” in blue and yel- 1995, brought with her 30 pieces of con- low, and surrounded by large-sized brilliant temporary female portraits. As she red poppies and luscious green leaves. explained in her presentation, “the female In addition, the audience was treated to image has become a metaphor for Ukraine, a magical array of artwork by the as it portrays a courageous, free and deter- At the Ukrainian Independence Day celebration in Los Angeles (from left) are: Deana renowned artist Ola Rondiak that was skill- Boulton, Luba Keske, Daria Chaikovsky, artist Ola Rondiak and Olha Starow. fully exhibited on the walls of the Ukrainian (Continued on page 18)

Ukrainian Independence Day marked in Binghamton

by Lubomyr Zobniw BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – The Ukrainian community of Binghamton gathered at the annual celebration of Ukrainian Independence Day at Binghamton City Hall with a flag-raising ceremony on August 26. The ceremony has been held annually since 1950 and organized by the local branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America. Victor Czumak emceed the ceremony and introduced com- munity leaders. The Rev. Teodor Czabala of Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church, the Rev. Ivan Synevsky of St. the Baptist Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Vitali Ilchishin of the Together for Ukraine Foundation at First Ukrainian Pentecostal Church spoke about the power of prayer and the daily sacrifices of those who continue to defend Ukraine against an aggressive Russia. Pastor Ilchishin also cited the mission of Together Andrij Czebiniak. for Ukraine Foundation to help the During the ceremonies (from left) are: Vitali Ilchishin, Taras Stets, Victor Czumak, the Rev. Ivan Synevsky, the Rev. Teodor Ukrainian wounded. Czabala, Mayor Richard C. David, Michael Dobriansky and Lubomyr Zobniw. Binghamton Mayor Richard C. David read the proclamation of Ukrainian brate. America is fortunate that it does not tions of Ukrainian intellectuals, clergy and Ukraine’s wounded. Independence Day and presented the signed have a powerful empire-building neighbor artists. Stalin implemented his policies to After the “Pledge of Allegiance” and the proclamation to Lubomyr Zobniw, UCCA that invades and seizes territory even in the eradicate Ukrainian culture and language singing of the Ukrainian national anthem, Binghamton branch chairman. Mr. Zobniw 21st century. During the war for indepen- within the USSR. The Budapest the gathered spoke with reporters from thanked the mayor for hosting this event. dence, America was fortunate that, at its Memorandum of 1994 saw Ukraine give up four local TV stations as the Ukrainian flag During this year, Mayor David participated moment of need, France provided military the world’s third-largest nuclear weapons over the Binghamton City Hall. in three anniversary events that touch the aid. The Ukrainian people barely knew stockpile in return for territorial integrity In a thank you note to Mayor David and Ukrainian American community. In appreci- what freedom felt like. Under Russia’s guarantees. Thus, it is time to aid Ukraine his staff, Mr. Zobniw wrote: “It would be ation Mr. Zobniw presented the mayor with imperial tsars Ukrainians were forced into with defensive arms. nice to celebrate Ukrainian Independence a Ukrainian pysanka, whose Ukrainian serfdom, their language and culture were Mr. Czumak recited in English the Day as the Irish celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, motifs go back thousands of years. banned, they were punished with exile and “Prayer for Ukraine.” but the Irish do not have an ongoing war Taras Stets explained in his historical imprisonment. Among the worst crimes Michael Dobriansky, the post command- with a neighboring Russian aggressor. commentary on the “Restoration of against humanity was Joseph Stalin’s er of the Ukrainian American Veterans in Ukraine is in a state of war. Ukrainian Ukrainian Independence Day” a few key Holodomor of 1932-1933, the forced star- Binghamton, reminded all of the sacrifices defenders die every day. This celebration topics: The United States has had only one vation of millions of Ukrainian farmers made by the Ukrainian military. The UAV shows our solidarity with Ukrainians’ hope Independence Day on Fourth of July to cele- with their families, and his regime’s execu- has collected more than $50,000 to help for a brighter future.” 12 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 No. 40

St. Mary Orthodox Chapel in Ellenville, N.Y. celebrates restoration ELLENVILLE, N.Y. – The restoration work at the Dormition of the Birth-Giver- of-God Ukrainian Orthodox Chapel was completed with the final act of re-consecra- tion on August 31 led by Metropolitan Antony and Archbishop Daniel of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. Located on the grounds of the Ukrainian American Youth Association camp, the cer- emony and celebration coincided with the Labor Day weekend events. Divine liturgy, led by the two aforemen- tioned hierarchs, was concelebrated by local Ukrainian Orthodox clergy. The cere- mony and celebrations attracted UAYA members in uniform, Orthodox parishio- ners as well as invited guests. Archbishop Daniel reminded the faithful of the external restoration that this chapel had undergone and the internal spiritual renovation that is ongoing within each of us – drawing a parallel with a temple of wor- ship and the body as a temple of God – and how it impacts our daily lives and relation- ships with one another as well as with God. The volunteer workers, fund raisers and Yaroslav Bilohan donors were acknowledged for their hard Metropolitan Antony and Archbishop Daniel of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. lead the celebrations for the resto- work, and especially noted were the ration of St. Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Chapel at the Ukrainian American Youth Association camp in Ellenville, N.Y. Ukrainian National Federal Credit Union, er, Oleh Mykulinsky was presented the Ukrainian National Home in , N.Y., Order of St. Great Martyrs Borys and Hlib and the 41st and second branches of the “for service to God and His Church.” Organization for the Defense of the Four Following divine liturgy, a celebratory Freedoms for Ukraine. picnic was held, during which speakers TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL Walter Honcharyk (973) 292-9800 x3040 Certificate awards recognizing certain recounted the history and interesting facts or e-mail [email protected] individuals and groups for their work in the about the chapel and the two-year long res- restoration process were presented by toration process. SERVICES PROFESSIONALS Metropolitan Antony and Archbishop Thanks and gratitude are extended to all Daniel. who participated in the restoration of St. The Rev. Vitaliy Mykulinsky of All Saints Mary’s Chapel, which will stand for many Ukrainian Orthodox Church in N.Y. was pre- more years, welcoming the faithful in sented the Order of the great martyr Job of prayer to God for wholeness and the salva- Pochayiv, and the Rev. Mykulinsky’s broth- tion of souls.

Part-Time Position Available The Sisters of the Order of Saint Basil the Great are seeking to hire an assistant for their Development O ce. This position involves doing various administrative projects (processing of donations, data entry, letter writing, answering the telephone, helping with special events, etc.), with primary importance on assisting the Development Director and keeping the Development O ce organized. Must be bilingual in English and Ukrainian. If interested, please send your resume to: [email protected]

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office “by facilitating illegal gambling busi- newspaper Bild reported on September 24. and contradicts the objectives of the Minsk NEWSBRIEFS nesses.” Mr. Lutsenko, who left his post in According to the report, this is stated in a agreements. “At the same time, it is appar- August, denied any wrongdoing, saying on response to a request from Member of ently easily possible to affix a visa into a (Continued from page 2) his page that “you need to have a Parliament Renata Alt from Germany’s Free Russian passport that Putin has been issu- Volker, Yovanovitch agree to testify rich imagination” to accuse him of links to Democratic Party (FDP), who is also the ing in eastern Ukraine!” Alt told Bild. In her illegal gambling. His name appeared in a rapporteur of the FDP’s parliamentary opinion, “the federal government is under- Two officials named in the whistleblower whistleblower report about U.S. President group for Ukraine and Russia. “The German mining all efforts to de-escalate the situa- complaint related to Ukraine have agreed to Donald Trump and his dealings with government makes no distinction between tion and achieve peace in Ukraine.” provide depositions to three Democratic-led Ukraine, but the complaint against Mr. regular Russian passports and those that According to the article, almost 100,000 congressional committees as part of an Lutsenko did not indicate a connection with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has visas have been issued by the German impeachment probe into U.S. President the U.S. case. In a July 25 telephone call Mr. been distributing in eastern Ukraine since authorities to holders of Russian passports Donald Trump. Former special envoy to Trump pressured Ukrainian President April,” the article reads. This is despite the since April. However, it is unclear how Ukraine Kurt Volker was to appear before Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate the fact that top-ranking German officials have many visas were affixed into Russian pass- the House committees behind closed doors Bidens. During the call, Trump praised Mr. on October 3, American news outlets report- Lutsenko as a good prosecutor and suggest- strongly criticized Mr. Putin’s decree, saying ports issued to residents of occupied ed. Former Ambassador to Ukraine Marie ed he keep his position. Investigators in Kyiv that it violates the sovereignty of Ukraine Donbas. (Ukrinform) Yovanovitch was to appear before the panels opened the case against Mr. Lutsenko fol- on October 11. A whistleblower complaint lowing a request by a senior lawmaker in released the previous week detailed Mr. Mr. Zelenskyy’s Servant of the People party. У глибокому смутку ділимося болючою вісткою з рідними Trump’s July 25 phone call with Ukrainian Authorities are required to open cases if та знайомими, що в неділю, 22 вересня 2019 року, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, asking him asked to do so by members of Parliament. несподівано відійшов у вічність наш to investigate former Vice-President Joe Mr. Lutsenko served in his post in 2016- найдорожчий Чоловік, Тато і Дідо Biden who is a political rival of the U.S. presi- 2019. He resigned in August after the newly dent. The unidentified whistleblower elected president said he wanted the prose- св. п. інж. Нестор Базарко accused Trump of pressuring the Ukrainian cutor general to be “100 percent my person, president and of soliciting foreign interfer- my candidate.” (RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, народжений 16 жовтня 1938 року в с. Миців, Україна. ence in exchange for personal gain. Mr. with reporting by Reuters, Interfax Ukraine Похоронні відправи відбулися в суботу, 5 жовтня 2019 року, Trump has denied any wrongdoing and and AFP) о годині 10:30 ранку в Українському Католицькому Соборі Пресвятої called the inquiry “the greatest scam in the Journalists demand apology from Mendel Родини у Вашінґтоні, ДК. history of American politics.” Last week Mr. Volker resigned when it emerged that he had Ukraine’s main union of journalists has Залишилися у глибокому смутку: followed up with Ukrainian officials a day called on the Presidential Office and its дружина - Марта з дому Книш after the Trump-Zelenskyy call. (RFE/RL, spokeswoman to issue a formal apology to діти - Данило з дружиною Танею with reporting by , Reuters journalists from Radio Free Europe/Radio - Діяна з чоловіком Скат and AP) Liberty (RFE/RL) and to alter their treat- внуки - Матейко, Андрійко, Катерина, Алекса, Вікторія ment of journalists. The National Union of брат - Володимир з дружиною Лідою та синами Андрієм Senior Ukrainian security official quits Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) on September і Юрієм з родинами 28 specifically mentioned presidential родини - Книш, Перфецькі, Дицьо, Захарченко, Гошовські, A senior Ukrainian security official sub- Процінські, Кігічаки mitted his resignation before President spokeswoman , who had been Volodymyr Zelenskyy began a visit to the shown shoving or pulling aside journalists Замість квітів на свіжу могилу Покійного просимо складати United States this week, the president’s who approach President Volodymyr пожертви на: office says. “I confirm the information about Zelenskyy. “The press secretary of the presi- • Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family, my resignation,” , the dent has no right to physically interfere in 4250 Harewood Rd. NE, Washington, DC 20017 secretary of the National Security and the work of journalists,” NUJU head Serhiy • Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization Defense Council (NSDC), wrote on Facebook Tomilenko said on social media. “Journalists Plast Camp - Vovcha Tropa, c/o Paul Liteplo on September 27. Mr. Danylyuk, who was shouldn’t have to put up with behavior 960C Heritage Hills, Somers, NY 10589-3137 associated with either friendly hugs or appointed after President Zelenskyy took shoving and pulling.” In one episode, jour- office in May, gave no reason for his decision. nalist Serhiy Andrushko from RFE/RL’s He said he would stay in his post until the Ukrainian Service stood waiting for the president had signed off on the decision. The president and his office head, Andriy Presidential Office earlier said Mr. Danylyuk With the upcoming  rst year anniversary of the passing of our Bohdan, near the main entrance to the pres- had sent his resignation letter before Mr. mother Stefania Pawliczko (10/15/2018) and nearly 15 years of our idential office building. When Mr. Zelenskyy Zelenskyy traveled to the United States to approached, Ms. Mendel was seen inter- father Michael Pawliczko (1/22/2005), sons Bohdan and Marko attend the United Nations General Assembly cepting Mr. Andrushko as he started to ask a would like to take this opportunity to commemorate our parents. in New York. “The president will consider it question, shoving him aside. In response, after returning to Kyiv,” a statement said. Ms. Mendel denied pushing the journalist, According to a decree published on the offi- saying she was concerned about the presi- cial website of the Presidential Office on dent’s safety and was trying to protect Mr. September 30, Mr. Zelenskyy has dismissed Zelenskyy’s “personal space.” On September Mr. Danylyuk. The NSDC secretary’s surprise 13, Ms. Mendel shoved aside RFE/RL’s Kyiv resignation may have been triggered by Mr. correspondent Christopher Miller when he Zelenskyy’s hesitation to break ties with the started talking to Mr. Zelenskyy at a presti- powerful oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky and take gious yearly conference in Kyiv devoted to a clear position on the fate of the country’s Ukraine’s European aspirations and pros- largest lender PrivatBank, AFP reported. Mr. pects. Since getting elected on April 22, Danylyuk had served as finance minister President Zelenskyy has not given an open under President Zelenskyy’s predecessor, news conference, despite numerous prom- , and oversaw the nation- ises. In August, his presidential office head, alization of the country’s largest lender Mr. Bohdan, said “We don’t need journalists eir wedding picture PrivatBank in 2016. (RFE/RL’s Ukrainian to talk to people.” Mr. Bohdan also said, “as Service, with reporting by Reuters and AFP) our election campaign has proved, we com- Michael and Stefania Ukraine probes ex-chief prosecutor municate with society without mediators, without journalists.” (RFE/RL) Pawliczko Ukrainian investigators say they have Germany recognizes Donbas passports launched a criminal probe into former Like many in their generation at that time, they became unwilling Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko over Germany affixes visas into “passports” refugees, leaving Ukraine on an unknown, dangerous world journey. alleged ties to illegal gambling operations. A issued by Russia to residents of the tempo- Ending up in America providing the foundation for future generations, state investigation bureau spokeswoman on rarily occupied areas of Ukraine’s Donetsk who would appreciate the unimaginable journey they will never have to October 1 said criminal proceedings had and Luhansk regions, without making a endure. been opened “over suspicions of abuse of distinction between Russian passports and power and malfeasance” in Mr. Lutsenko’s these “documents,” the German tabloid With opportunity, freedom, and an incredible work and family ethic, their generation was able to build, support, and maintain Ukrainian churches, schools, choirs, youth organizations in the Hartford, Ct area and nizations for a long period of time. Some no rural resorts. Well intentioned contributing to society and their heritage, They made... longer exist, while others do, but not in the form they did during that time. Even though secured with many a good reputation for Ukrainians in America. eir (Continued from page 7) they were not part of the formal organized dream of a free Ukraine  nally came true releasing a heavy burden with all other issues of importance to the commu- community structures, their contributions community e orts paying o , then retiring happily and participating in the nity. to the Ukrainian cause were invaluable. Northport, Florida Parish. Always family-oriented by spending summers These organizations, as well as others They should not be forgotten. In a future col- up north with sons and at Soyuzivka. Again, our deep full thankfulness, active at the time, were composed of com- umn, I plan to note some of the other organi- appreciation of their sacri ces, and fondest memories always live strong in mitted and passionate volunteers. It is zations or groups that played an important our lives and prayers. Forever Love. Miss you. Not forgotten. incredibly difficult to sustain volunteer orga- role during these historic times. 16 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 No. 40

inconclusive talks with Ukraine’s new agreed to the Steinmeier formula. President joint statement declaring that, by “guaran- Splits emerge... authorities, who have proclaimed their Zelenskyy convened an unexpected press teeing a special status for the Donbas” determination to bring economic recovery conference on October 1 to confirm this through the acceptance of the Steinmeier (Continued from page 1) and growth. On October 1 Kyiv’s business and to announce that a new law on local formula, Ukraine is recognizing “the special was caught up in the unfolding political court again postponed the Kolomoisky self-governance for the areas in question right of the people of the Donbas to inde- battle between the Democrats and the hearing until October 8. would be prepared. He and his representa- pendently determine their fate.” They tives have been at pains to assure the urged the Ukrainian president “not to dic- Republicans, and the launch of an impeach- Danylyuk’s explanations ment inquiry against U.S. President Donald Ukrainian public that there is nothing to tate conditions to us.” They alone will Trump. The envoy is allegedly implicated in Mr. Danylyuk has since begun explaining worry about, that clear red lines had been decide when elections will be held, and President Trump’s search for compromis- why he resigned. Initially, he revealed to the drawn by the Ukrainian side and that there Kyiv “will not receive any control of the bor- ing information against his political oppo- BBC in Ukraine that while tensions should be no fear of capitulation before der.” They advised Mr. Zelenskyy that if he nent Joe Biden. between himself and Mr. Bohdan were Moscow. is interested in “peaceful co-existence” with Many of Mr. Volker’s colleagues and indeed a factor, the main reason was to But the absence of concrete details and them, he would have to enter into a direct friends in Ukraine and the United States warn against “the wrong decision in the the sense that Ukraine is being isolated and dialogue “and not make ill-conceived and were quick to praise his work. Former PrivatBank process.” If the nationalization pressured, even by its partners, has invited meaningless unilateral statements.” Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo of the bank is reversed, it will have dire speculation and fueled strong concern. Commentators pointed out that such Klimkin said the special envoy did much consequences, he said, and will block coop- Former President Petro Poroshenko and strong language is unlikely to have been more for Ukraine than was foreseen in his eration with the IMF. It will send the wrong other opponents of the Zelenskyy adminis- used without the agreement of the Kremlin. signal that oligarchs still call the shots. He tration have seized on the issue and depict- mandate. He told Liga.net that Mr. Volker, The new NSDC secretary while working closely with Ukraine’s stressed that there should be no compro- ed the acceptance of the Steinmeier formu- European partners, had a much firmer grasp mise with Mr. Kolomoisky, because award- la as tantamount to betrayal. In this tense setting, there were further of what is at stake in the Russo-Ukrainian ing him “a certain amount of compensa- On October 2 Mr. Poroshenko tried to surprises. On October 3 President conflict than those who today are applying tion” will also be a defeat. convince the Ukrainian Parliament that the Zelenskyy announced that Mr. Danylyuk “enormous pressure” on Ukraine “to agree Asked if he thought that Mr. Kolomoisky Steinmeier scheme never existed and was would be replaced by Oleksiy Danilov, who to the Steinmeier formula.” Mr. Klimkin said was influencing Mr. Bohdan, Mr. Danylyuk made up by Moscow. He has dubbed it was serving as his deputy. He is a contro- he believes that in future talks with the U.S. said he preferred not to comment. “Putin’s formula.” Meanwhile, his oppo- versial former mayor of Luhansk who was administration the question of “return[ing] Nevertheless, he added: “Let’s look at nents have posted videos of him announc- dismissed after being accused of corrup- Kurt” should certainly be raised. what’s going on. It’s not about personalities. ing in October 2016, when he was presi- tion. Commentators have lost no time in Mr. Danylyuk’s announcement also was There’s a systemic problem. There are peo- dent, an agreement to establish working pointing out that this is a strange choice to a shock. With a reputation for being com- ple who have a conflict of interests, and groups to develop the Steinmeier formula. fill such a highly sensitive post. Attempts to mitted to reform and the solid experience Andriy [Bohdan] is one of them.” He also In short, the absence of proper details learn from the NSDC why Mr. Danilov was of having been a minister of finance, he was pointed to what he called the lack of profes- about how the Steinmeier formula will be considered qualified for this position were one of the most respected members of the sionalism on the Zelenskyy team. discussed at the next Normandy Format rebuffed. team that Mr. Zelenskyy hastily assembled Reading between the lines of Mr. meeting expected to be held later this That same day Mr. Danylyuk had more to when making his successful bid to win the Danylyuk’s comments, it is clear that that he month in Paris, and the political maneuver- say on the evolving situation. Speaking presidency. was unhappy with the Zelenskyy adminis- ing around it, has resulted in this issue again to BBC News Ukraine, this time he If Mr. Volker’s resignation was linked to tration’s style of work. He intimated that being depicted in black or white terms and also acknowledged that the Steinmeier for- internal U.S. political infighting, the depar- the president’s close inner circle seemed to in inflamed emotions. This has resulted in a mula entails “enormous risk” for Ukraine. ture of Ukraine’s NSDC secretary was con- think they could and should decide every- wave of protests in Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, He stressed the need to keep the nation nected to the power struggles and battles thing. “I consider the state should function Mariupol, Kryvyi Rih and other cities. informed, especially the troops on the for influence that have been going on from in a different manner, without someone On October 3 Mr. Zelenskyy released a frontline whom he said he had just visited. the very outset within Mr. Zelenskyy’s dis- pulling the strings.” There should be “strong video, trying once again to reassure his crit- Mr. Danylyuk also indicated that Mr. parate team. institutions” and proper “professionalism,” ics and the general population that he has Bohdan had blocked his reform proposals Much of that appears to revolve around Mr. Danylyuk commented. no intension of yielding on key issue con- and that they had very different values. In cerning Ukraine’s independence and terri- Mr. Danylyuk’s view, given Mr. Bohdan’s the role of President Zelenskyy’s right- The Steinmeier formula hand man and head of his Presidential torial integrity. In the meantime, Ukraine’s conflict of interest, he should do the “profes- Office, Mr. Bohdan. His apparent immense But the Danylyuk story was quickly Western partners have welcomed its deci- sional” thing and resign to allow President influence, given that he was the attorney of overshadowed by developments around sion to accept the Steinmeier plan as a new Zelenskyy to move ahead with reforms and the notorious oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky, has the terms demanded by Russia as a prereq- starting point and called it a potential ensure the system is managed properly. been a growing source of concern both uisite for agreeing to participate in a new breakthrough. In short, the Zelenskyy administration is within Ukraine and beyond its borders. summit of the Normandy Four (Germany, But the leaders of the Russian-backed facing its most serious tests yet, both at The oligarch has recently become very France, Russia, Ukraine), namely, agree- “separatist” enclaves, the self-proclaimed home and abroad. To weather the storms, active publicly and is fighting in the courts ment that the “Steinmeier formula” (see Donetsk and Luhansk “people’s republics,” Mr. Danylyuk and others insist that profes- to undo the decision made in 2016 to The Ukrainian Weekly, September 20) be have certainly not been sounding a concil- sionalism and integrity will be required to a nationalize “his” PrivatBank, the largest in used as the basis for discussions on the way iatory note or suggesting they want to be greater degree than hitherto foreseen by Ukraine, after billions of dollars went miss- forward towards a peaceful resolution of part of Ukraine. On October 2 they issued a Ukraine’s neophyte leaders. ing. Mr. Danylyuk and the former head of the war in the Donbas. the , Valeria In essence, this was an initiative pro- Gontareva, were instrumental in imple- posed by the German side in 2015-2016 to more self-rule for the Luhansk and Donetsk menting the bank’s takeover by the state. jump-start the moribund peace process Turning... occupied areas, with local councils appoint- Last month, on the eve of the arrival of an that the first and second Minsk accords of ing or electing judges and prosecutors to (Continued from page 6) International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission 2014 and 2015 were meant to have initiat- local courts and other law enforcement to Kyiv, Ms. Gontareva became the victim of ed. The focus was on two components of ritory of Crimea that was annexed by agencies. Local elections, however, could a series of mysterious attacks on her and the initial road map, namely that free elec- Moscow in 2014, following a sham referen- take place only once the Donbas war zone her home. On September 19 Mr. Danylyuk tions are to be held in the occupied areas dum held on the peninsula in the presence was “demilitarized” as per the Minsk agree- and that simultaneously Ukraine would publicly sided with her in pointing the fin- of disguised Russian armed forces. ments. permit a measure of self-governance for ger at Mr. Kolomoisky; he warned that such “The law also gives more leeway for the Other stipulations included that political them. No details on the sequence and logis- actions cause destabilization in the country. president to enact martial law in the non- parties must be allowed to run for local For the IMF, the health of Ukraine’s tics were elaborated, hence the different government-controlled areas of the elections, media access must be free and banking sector and what happens to interpretations on the priorities and Donbas,” said Mariya Zolkina, political ana- international monitors must observe the PrivatBank are of central concern. The modalities advanced by Kyiv and Moscow. lyst for Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives voting process. The financing of the elec- court hearing to address the Kolomoisky After resisting for some time, but facing Foundation. “It changes the principles of tions was also part of the law. case was scheduled for September 24 but considerable pressure from France, the institutional [and] structural leadership “This law,” Ms. Zolkina said, “is more for has been repeatedly postponed. The IMF Germany and, presumably, the Trump on this territory.” the international audience. “It provides an mission departed on September 25 after administration and others, Kyiv finally The law also legally solidifies Ukraine’s additional argument for extending sanc- position to absolve itself of “what happens tions toward Russia [by the West].” to its citizens in the occupied Donbas, “ ‘Special status’ extension shows peaceful settlement, reform progress or the whether financially, on a human or civil Ukraine [is] taking tough steps for peace,” Kurt Volker... U.S. role,” Mr. Poroshenko said. rights level… it places the onus” on the U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy for John Herbst, a former U.S. ambassador (Continued from page 1) occupiers, Ms. Zolkina said. the Donbas war peace process, Kurt Volker to Ukraine, expressed concerns about Mr. President Petro Poroshenko said the law tweeted on October 6. “[I] hope Russia now Klimkin called his resignation “a true loss. Volker’s departure in comments to RFE/RL. “further strengthens the use of the armed acts to make peace – time to end conflict.” He wrote on Facebook: “We did matter to “Volker was an extraordinarily able diplo- forces and expands their reach in the [war] This extension was welcomed by him, it happens quite rarely in politics.” mat doing essential work,” said Mr. Herbst. region. This reinforces arguments for giving Germany and France, two of the Normandy Former President of Ukraine Petro “He was pushing for a realistic end to the Ukraine defensive weapons… [but it also] format negotiators, along with Ukraine and Poroshenko, the leader of the European Kremlin’s war on Ukraine on terms that did emphasizes a peaceful, political and diplo- Russia, working toward implementation of Solidarity party, expressed regret about the not cave in to Moscow’s aggression.” matic path” to reaching peace. the Minsk agreements. “disturbing news” of Mr. Volker’s resigna- Ambassador Herbst added that he did Russian presidential spokesperson tion. “His firmness and strategic vision in not think Ambassador Volker’s exit would Dmitry Peskov noted that the law identifies Source: “Kyiv moves to label Russia as countering Russian aggression can hardly necessarily lead to a change in U.S. policy, Russia as the “aggressor” and that this was aggressor in Donbas war,” by Mark be overestimated. Kurt made all of us in “but he was an energetic voice which we’ll “unacceptable for Russia.” Raczkiewycz, The Ukrainian Weekly, October Ukraine feel more confident – be it about be missing.” Controversially, the law also allowed 15, 2017. No. 40 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 17 18 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 No. 40

Oleg Kharchenko Ola Rondiak speaks about her artwork. Los Angeles... (Continued from page 11) mined spirit.” Some of the themes on dis- play were, “Vinok,” “Revolution of Dignity,” “Behind the Lines” and “Identity, Interrupted.” Through her iconographic portrayal of women, whether in collages, oils or sculptures, Ms. Rondiak aims to bring truth to the forefront. The program opened with a prayer led by clergy of the Ukrainian Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches, followed by the American and Ukrainian national anthems sung by the very talented teenag- er Margaryta Kuzina. The Chervona Kalyna dance group then performed an exquisite rendition of the tra- ditional “Welcome Dance.” Later in the pro- gram, the group performed “Young Kozaks,” “Vahylya” and “Kolomyika.” Other performances included a piano solo, “Music of Sorrow,” composed and played by Laryssa Kulchytska; songs by Asya Gorska, Margaryta Kuzina, Oksana Kvitka; and a poem titled “Ukraina” composed by Vilen Chernyak and recited by Halyna Stanyk. The young brothers Oleksiy and Pavlo Kryshchenko from the School of Ukrainian Studies Shkola treated the audience to a humorous parody “Hrytzko’s Science,” which brought many laughs and applause from the audience. Olenka Kasperska, a teen who has already mastered the violin, performed a soulful interpretation solo of “I Will Go to the Distant Mountains.” The celebration ended with a finale with all participants on stage as Ms. Gorska per- formed the well-known and beloved song “My Ukraine.” All were rewarded with a hearty applause and standing ovation. No. 40 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 19

Through Tapestry weaving workshop (kraiky), with instruction October 12 75th Anniversary Celebration, United Ukrainian October 12 by Halyna Shepko, The Ukrainian Museum, Jenkintown, PA American Relief Committee, Ukrainian Educational and New York www.ukrainianmuseum.org or 212-228-0110 Cultural Center, 215-728-1630

Through Exhibit, “Portal” by Les Panchyshyn, Ukrainian October 12 Presentation by Roman Kuc, “Echolocation Techniques October 27 National Museum, [email protected] or New York of Bats and Blind Humans Can Improve Robot Sensing,” Chicago 312-421-8020 Shevchenko Scientific Society, 212-254-5130

Through Embroidery workshop, with instruction by Lubow October 12 12th annual Pig Roast, Cholodny Yar Ukrainian November 9 Wolynetz, The Ukrainian Museum, Hume, NY American Youth Association camp, 716-462-3188 New York www.ukrainianmuseum.org or 212-228-0110 October 16 Presentation by George Grabowicz, Seminar in Through February 29 Exhibit, “Everything Old is Cool Again,” Ukrainian Cambridge, MA Ukrainian Studies, Harvard University, Toronto Museum of Canada (Ontario Branch), 416-923-9861 www.huri.harvard.edu or 617-495-4053

October 7 Roundtable, “Envisioning Ukrainian Literature, Part II,” October 17 Film screening, “Baba Babee Skazala” by Matej Silecky New York with Irene Zabytko, Alexander Motyl, Dzvinia Orlowsky, New York Ukrainian Institute of America, 212-288-8660 or Olena Jennigs and Mark Andryczyk, Columbia University, www.ukrainianinstitute.org 212-854-4697 or [email protected] October 17 Presentation by Oksana Kis, “Remaining a Ukrainian October 7 Presentation by Oksana Kis, “Remaining a Ukrainian New York Woman: Normative Femininity as ‘Armor’ in the Gulag,” New York Woman: Normative Femininity as ‘Armor’ in the Gulag,” Columbia University, 212-854-4697 Columbia University, 212-854-4697 or October 17-20 Conference, “The Ukrainian Heritage Consortium of [email protected] Cambridge, MA North America,” Harvard University, October 8 Performance, Assia Ahhatt “A Music Extravaganza,” www.uhcna.org/2019-uhcna-conference Syracuse, NY The Wescott Theater, www.thewestcotttheater.com October 18 Sudbury Yarmarok Festival, Ukrainian National Sudbury, ON Federation, 705-673-0890 October 9 Presentation by Jennifer Dickinson, Seminar in Cambridge, MA Ukrainian Studies, Harvard University, 617-495-4053 October 19 Book launch with Khrystyna Berehovska, “The Passion or www.huri.harvard.edu Montreal of the Christ” by William Kurelek, Patriarch Joseph Slipyj Museum, 514-481-5871 October 10 Roundtable, “Ukraine’s Quest for Mature Nation Washington Statehood Roundtable XX: Ukraine’s National Security October 19 Ukrainian Business Networking Breakfast, Lorenzo’s Doctrine – Divining the Abiding Priorities,” Center for Ottawa Bar and Grill, 613-324-5409 or [email protected] U.S.-Ukrainian Relations, 1777 F Street NW, 646-704-1463 or [email protected] Entries in “Out and About” are listed free of charge. Priority is given to events October 10 through Art exhibition, “Yohanan Petrovsky-Shtern: Legends advertised in The Ukrainian Weekly. However, we also welcome submissions November 4 and Parables,” Ukrainian Institute of America, from all our readers. Items will be published at the discretion of the editors New York 212-288-8660 or www.ukrainianinstitute.org and as space allows. Please send e-mail to [email protected]. 20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 No. 40

PREVIEW OF EVENTS

Saturday, October 12 and 10th streets) at 5 p.m. For additional information call 212-254-5130. NEW YORK: The Shevchenko Scientific Society invites all to a lecture, Through October 30 “Echolocation Techniques of Bats and SOMERSET, N.J.: The exhibit “Rushnyky: Blind Humans Can Improve Robot Ritual Cloths of the Cossack Lands of Sensing,” by Prof. Roman Kuc, Department Ukraine,” dedicated to the memory of the of Electrical Engineering, Yale School of Heavenly Hundred and the thousands of Engineering and Applied Science. Sonar young men and women lost to the war in (SOund NAvigation and Ranging) is a sens- eastern Ukraine, has been extended ing modality that extracts environmental through October 30. Featuring 100 exqui- features from echoes. Conventional sonars site ritual cloths, or rushnyky, never before detect only the first echo to give the range seen in the U.S.A., it is on view at the of the nearest reflector. Biomimetic sonars Ukrainian History and Education Center apply techniques employed by bats to Library Gallery, 135 Davidson Ave., extract additional information. This talk Somerset, NJ 08873. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 describes echo processing that produces p.m. Monday- Friday; noon to 4 p.m. on the cognitive maps similar to those formed first Saturday of every month. Groups are through echolocation by blind humans. welcome by appointment. Suggested dona- The lecture will take place at the society’s tion: $10. For additional information call building, 63 Fourth Ave. (between Ninth 732-356-0132 or e-mail [email protected].

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