Russia committed mass murder in Ukraine during the Holodomor of 1932-33 and continues to do so today. However, the international community, which is increasingly aware of the Kremlin's cannibalistic history, continues to make efforts to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself and become part of the Western world.
This was discussed during a ceremony honoring the victims of the Holodomor-Genocide on Friday in downtown Washington, Ukrinform reports.
During the event at the Holodomor monument, the current president of the UCCA and chairman of the US National Committee for the Recognition of the Holodomor-Genocide, Mykhailo Savkiv, stressed that the Kremlin's policy towards Ukraine has not changed. “What happened more than 90 years ago and what is happening now, especially in the last 1000 days, is genocide,” Savkiv emphasized.
He noted that the Ukrainian community in the United States is working at various levels to ensure that the crimes of Russians in Ukraine then and now are recognized by the American state as genocide. Currently, he said, more than 30 U.S. states and a significant number of large U.S. cities have formally adopted such decisions at their level.
“And, of course, we are making every effort to ensure that the White House recognizes this as genocide,” Savkiv emphasized.
In this context, he noted that during November, the United States held a month of Holodomor remembrance, and memorial events were held almost throughout the United States, where the Ukrainian community lives.
Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, Oksana Markarova, for her part, emphasized that Ukrainians continue to experience the tragedy created by Moscow's policies.
“Today is the 1003rd day of the full-scale war, as well as the 3928th day of the war Russia started in 2014. What we are dealing with today is not something new for us - we also experienced it in 1932-33,” the ambassador said.
She emphasized that it is very important to “stand together” in order to prevent the Russians from invading Ukraine, destroying what is Ukrainian, and then hiding their crimes.
“We will not rest until we are victorious and restore justice and integrity, and until we are able to prosper and help solve many global problems as a future member of the European Union and NATO, a future member of the European family of nations,” Markarova emphasized.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien also paid tribute to the victims of the Holodomor and emphasized that America is committed to further support for Ukraine.
“The United States and more than 50 other countries are working to ensure that Ukraine has everything it needs to defend itself and that its people have the opportunity to determine their own future in their quest to be part of the European community.
He also assured that the current U.S. administration is working to transfer all the remaining funds in the large-scale aid package approved in April to Ukraine before the end of its term in January next year.
The U.S. State Department representative emphasized that the Holodomor of 1932-33 was a mass murder, and the world's awareness of this fact is growing.
“It was an attempt to wipe Ukraine off the map, and today we see another attempt to do so, which the Biden administration and the people of the United States oppose,” the official said.
The commemorative ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ukrainian community in the United States, diplomats accredited in Washington, D.C., representatives of the American government, clergy, journalists, as well as Americans and representatives of other nations who support Ukraine.