During a working visit to the United States as part of a Ukrainian delegation headed by First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko, Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak met with leaders of major American Jewish organizations.
The meeting was attended by: CEO of NCSEJ Mark Levin, NCSEJ Chairman-Elect Allen Kronstadt, Deputy Director of NCSEJ Lesley Weiss, Program Associate for NCSEJ Ezra Hess, Director of International Affairs Research at the Anti-Defamation League Aykan Erdemir, Director of International Affairs at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Stephen Schneider, Director of International Jewish Affairs of the American Jewish Committee, Rabbi Andrew Baker, CEO of the international non-governmental Jewish organization B'nai B'rith Daniel Mariaschin, Associate Vice President of Public Affairs of the Jewish Federations of North America Karen Paikin Barall, CEO of HIAS Mark Hetfield, Executive Director of the World Jewish Congress of North America Betty Ehrenberg.
The Ukrainian side was represented by: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United States Oksana Markarova, Advisors to the Head of the Presidential Office Dariia Zarivna and Vladyslav Vlasiuk.
Andriy Yermak thanked the Jewish organizations of the United States for their dedicated support of Ukraine, which is fighting against Russian aggression, as well as for the humanitarian aid they provide to Ukrainian citizens. The Head of the Presidential Office noted the contribution of American Jewish organizations to the fight against Russian propaganda and anti-Semitism.
"The fates of our peoples are historically linked. And they are linked today. The peoples of Israel and Ukraine are equally fighting for the right to exist. And to be themselves," emphasized Andriy Yermak.
He noted that the axis of evil, which includes Russia and Iran, as well as Hamas terrorists, acts in the same way, killing children and capturing civilians, using Iranian-made kamikaze drones to destroy energy infrastructure.
"We are facing new challenges, and we all know who is most interested in new wars breaking out. These are Iran, Russia, North Korea. Ukrainians know what terrorist attacks on civilians are. We see that if the aggressors do not lose in Ukraine completely, they will continue this war elsewhere," the Head of the Presidential Office is convinced.
Andriy Yermak called for further support and assistance to Ukraine to speed up our victory over the common enemy.
"The victory of Ukraine and the destruction of Russia's military potential will mean the destruction of aggressors' plans and the reduction of terrorists' influence in the world. Therefore, assistance to Ukraine is a protection of freedom and security of all people on the planet," the Head of the Presidential Office summarized.
