President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a video call with Vikings star, Canadian actress of Ukrainian origin, director and producer Katheryn Winnick, who joined the ambassadors of the United24 fundraising platform.
The Head of State thanked Katheryn Winnick for supporting Ukraine, powerful messages and warm words that are very important for Ukrainians, especially on the days of the tragic anniversary of the beginning of full-scale Russian aggression.
"Thank you very much for being with us. We are grateful that you have decided to become an ambassador of United24 and are the first ambassador from Canada, with whom we have a lot in common," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
According to him, it is now very important to do everything possible to ensure that the world does not forget about the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The President also emphasized that the priority is to rebuild our country.
Katheryn Winnick will be involved in the "Rebuild Ukraine" program and will launch her fundraising through the platform to restore one of the 18 houses in the Kyiv region that will be the first to be rebuilt under this program. In total, UAH 719 million is needed to restore these facilities. Thanks to United24 donors from 110 countries, more than UAH 510 million has already been raised.
"I understand how important it is for Ukrainian families to unite. People need to return home and rebuild their homes so that families can live together again," she said.
The actress, whose parents are descendants of Ukrainian emigrants who in 1940, fleeing Soviet rule, moved first to Germany and then to Canada, said she was proud of her Ukrainian roots.
"I'm proud of what you're doing, and I'm honored to be in the United24 team," she said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited Katheryn Winnick to come to Ukraine.
The actress has been supporting our country since the beginning of Russian aggression in 2014. She visited Ukraine on the 30th anniversary of its independence. After the start of the full-scale Russian aggression, Katheryn Winnick founded The Winnick Foundation, which provides humanitarian aid to Ukrainians affected by the war.
In the nine months of its operation, the United24 fundraising platform initiated by the President of Ukraine has raised more than $287 million thanks to donations from more than 110 countries. United24's ambassadors include singer and actress Barbra Streisand, actor Mark Hamill, Imagine Dragons, Balenciaga art director Demna, American actor Liev Schreiber, director Michel Hazanavicius, astronaut Scott Kelly, historian Timothy Snyder, country singer Brad Paisley, and prominent Ukrainian athletes Elina Svitolina, Andriy Shevchenko, and Oleksandr Usyk.