THEHEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association, Inc., celebrating W its 125th anniversaryEEKLY Vol. LXXXVIII No. 1 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 5, 2020 $2.00 Verkhovna Rada again votes Latest prisoner swap for state support of Plast provokes heated exchanges Eugene Zavhorodniy Presidential Office of Ukraine Plast members bring the Bethlehem Peace Light to the Verkhovna Rada on December A former prisoner of war is welcomed home. He was among the 76 detainees returned to 17, the same day the new law on state recognition of Plast was passed. Ukraine in a swap with the Russian-controlled occupation authorities in the Donbas. of the terms on which it was made. by Roman Tymotsko 30, 2019, members of the previous convo- by Bohdan Nahaylo cation of the Verkhovna Rada had voted in Seventy-six Ukrainian prisoners were KYIV – With 316 votes on December 17, favor of the earlier edition of this bill. But KYIV – Ukraine and the Russian- returned in a swap for 127 people handed Ukraine’s Parliament backed a law on the then, after more than three months, controlled occupation administrations in over to Russia’s proxies who, controversial- state recognition of Plast – National Scout President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the Donbas on December 29 carried out an ly, included five ex-Berkut officers suspect- Organization of Ukraine. This is the second exchange of prisoners. Welcomed by many, affirmative vote on the legislation. On May (Continued on page 26) it was strongly criticized by others because (Continued on page 22) Celebrating 100 years of cultural diplomacy in Ukraine by Marta Kolomayets KYIV – One hundred years ago, the Ukrainian Republican Capella, under the direction of the talented conductor Oleksander (Alexander) Koshetz, set out on a world tour to promote Ukraine as a newly independent state, to show the world who the Ukrainians were, and how they longed for a free and independent state. Commissioned by Symon Petliura, the head of the Ukrainian National Republic, and funded by his govern- ment’s Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs, the 100-member choir had a mission: to conquer the West through soft power, to tell the story of its emergence on the world stage through the melodies of such great composers as Mykola Leontovych, Kyrylo Stetsenko and Mykola Lysenko, through songs of the glorious Kozak past and hymns of Ukraine’s rich choral tradition. “The concept of cultural diplomacy refers to the exchange of ideas, information, art and other aspects of Sergy Gavrishevich culture among nations and their peoples in order to foster The Dnipro Choir of Taras Shevchenko National University, which debuted “Shchedryk” in the same location 100 mutual understanding. But cultural diplomacy can also be years ago, repeats history 100 years later. more of a one-way street than a two-way exchange, as To highlight Ukraine’s centenary triumph of cultural Over 500 guests, including U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission when one nation concentrates its efforts on promoting the diplomacy, and to observe its own 100th birthday, the in Ukraine Kristina Kvien, ambassadors to Ukraine from national language, explaining its policies and point of view Institute of International Education, which administers the Switzerland, Belgium, Bulgaria, Poland, Slovenia, Denmark, or ‘telling its story’ to the rest of the world,” wrote Milton C. Fulbright Program in Ukraine, organized a commemora- Finland, Argentina, Brazil and Canada, as well as cultural Cummings, a professor of political science and an expert in tive concert on October 9 at the Ukrainian National attachés and representatives from the Ukrainian govern- comparative cultural policy in an essay published at the Philharmonic, highlighting the music of Leontovych and beginning of this 21st century. his “Shchedryk.” (Continued on page 25) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 5, 2020 No. 1 ANALYSIS Russia claims Ukraine promised to end trial Zelenskyy on swap of Berkut fighters a new survey. The poll published on December 26, 2019, by the Ilko Kucheriv of suspected Maidan killers freed in exchange A mass prisoner exchange of 200 prison- Democratic Initiatives Foundation and ers, which took place at a checkpoint near Razumkov Center said 44 percent of the separatist-held city of Horlivka in the by Halya Coynash run the case from the beginning were being Ukrainians responded positively when replaced by people who knew nothing eastern Donetsk region on December 29, asked about the country’s current path. Kharkiv Human Rights 2019, included military personnel, civilians, Protection Group about it. Since it became clear that the men That is up from 18 percent last year. Seven had been included in the exchange list and members of Ukraine’s disbanded Berkut in 10 Ukrainians last year thought the Boris Gryzlov, Russia’s representative at handed over, first Mr. Riaboshapka, then security forces, and two RFE/RL journalists. country was moving in the wrong direction. the Contact Group on Donbas, has asserted Mr. Zelenskyy have claimed that the men’s Ukraine handed over 124 prisoners, while More than a third think Ukraine’s economy that Ukraine agreed to not “persecute” trial will be continued in absentia. This the Russia-backed militants turned over 76 will improve in the next two or three years, those released as part of the December 29, already begs the issue of why the prosecu- prisoners as part of a deal negotiated during according to the survey. The survey comes 2019, exchange of prisoners. This would tors were changed. It is possible that this a meeting of the so-called Normandy Four – eight months after voters elected include the five former Berkut officers who was because the former prosecutors from Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France – in Volodymyr Zelenskyy president in a land- were charged with gunning down at least the now dissolved Special Investigations Paris on December 9, 2019. Ukrainian slide victory, won over by his promises to 39 Maidan activists on February 20, 2014. Department themselves refused to contin- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined fam- fight corruption, attract foreign investment, That directly contradicts what Ukrainian ue the trial in absentia, given serious con- ily members and supporters of the former boost economic growth and end the war in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the cerns about Ukraine’s legislation on such prisoners who gathered at Kyiv’s Boryspil the Donbas. Since his inauguration in May, Prosecutor General Ruslan Riaboshapka trials. There was nothing to stop this being Airport late in the evening of December 29 President Zelenskyy has taken steps to have claimed, and clarity from them on admitted in advance. to greet the returnees. “The people are reform the country’s agriculture sector and what exactly was agreed is urgently Given the lack of any openness, there home. We did what we said: [The prisoner sell off state assets, helping him secure a required. can only be serious concern when Russia swap took place] before the New Year,” Mr. new loan agreement from the International Russia has already gained a major victo- claims that a still further concession has Zelenskyy told reporters after the tearful Monetary Fund. Mr. Zelenskyy has also ry through its demand that the five Maidan been made, one that would undermine the welcoming. “So, they will celebrate New reached a deal on a new gas-transit con- suspects were included on the exchange assurances given by Ukraine’s President Year with their families, in their homes, with tract with Russia as well as an agreement list, and it is quite possible that it is now about the continuation of the trial. parents, with children. That is great. I am on an exchange of prisoners. (RFE/RL) seeking maximum mileage in fostering dis- It was known that Russia and the so- happy and – I am convinced – so are they.” trust of Ukraine’s leaders. called people’s republics had insisted that Mr. Zelenskyy also addressed the controver- New contracts for U.S. Javelins sial decision to hand over five Berkut mem- As reported, judges from the Kyiv Court all criminal charges needed to be wiped Deputy Defense Minister Anatoliy of Appeal were involved for two days in a from their candidates for exchange, and bers accused of killing participants of the 2014 Euro-Maidan protests that led to the Petrenko says Kyiv recently concluded con- staged performance of an appeal hearing that this had led to the December 18, 2019, tracts for the delivery of a second batch of with a politically commissioned conclusion, meeting of the Contact Group ending in fail- ouster of Moscow-friendly President Viktor Yanu kovych. “If we hadn’t exchanged Berkut Javelin U.S. anti-tank missile systems. namely the release late on December 28 of ure. Since it was announced on December Speaking on December 26, 2019, Mr. all five of the ex-Berkut suspects. It is now 23 that an agreement had been reached on fighters, we would not have returned our people – living people,” Mr. Zelenskyy told Petrenko said three contracts had been reported that the release of three POWs an exchange before the end of the year, it signed in the past three months in connec- held by the Russian-controlled Donetsk seems likely that the release of the suspect- reporters after greeting the former captives upon their arrival at Boryspil Airport. “If I tion with the Javelins – two with the U.S. people’s republic since January-February ed Maidan killers was a part of that agree- government under the Foreign Military could give away 100 Berkut fighters in 2015 (Serhiy Glondar, Oleksandr Korinkov ment. Sales program and one with NATO’s order to return one of our scouts, I would and Bohdan Pantyushenko) was made con- So was wiping their slate clean also part Support and Procurement Agency.