Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting on Tuesday night with influential members of the world Jewish community.
"If Israel does not give a clear political assessment of the Russian Federation, new phenomena such as the alliance between Russia and Iran will emerge."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
In attendance over video call were former Soviet political prisoner and former Deputy Prime Minister of Israel Natan Sharansky, President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder, former US Senator Joe Lieberman and Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Yaakov Bleich.
According to Ukrainian media outlet Ukrinform, the meeting "was dedicated to the importance of protecting universal values, guaranteeing security and peace, and preserving historical memory."
Zelensky thanked the meeting participants for their support during the war, Ukrinform reported. The president was quoted as saying: "Your voice sounds weighty and always matters to public opinion. Therefore, I ask you to continue to spread the truth about the terror that Russia has brought and about the help that we need."
He continued, according to Ukrinform, asserting that the war with Russia and the fight for freedom overall "cannot be overcome without a united position of the free democratic world. If Israel does not give a clear political assessment of the Russian Federation, new phenomena such as the alliance between Russia and Iran will emerge."
Zelensky's daily address
After the meeting, the Ukrainian president gave his daily address to the citizens of his country and reported on the meeting, saying:
"Today I held a meeting with representatives of the Jewish community – American, European and, of course, Israeli.
"We talked primarily about the protection of our people, about the need to make Russian terror impossible and to end this war as soon as possible by guaranteeing complete security and freedom for all Ukrainians throughout the territory of Ukraine.
"The sooner peace is achieved on our land thanks to the Ukrainian victory, the less evil Russia will bring to other regions, including the Middle East in its cooperation with Iran. I believe that one day Israeli politicians will hear this position, as Israeli society has already done – we feel it."
Memorial at Babyn Yar
The group also discussed the construction of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center. Zelensky assured Jewish leaders, "we have not forgotten and must implement this project. But for this we have to protect our state today."
In his address, Zelensky restated his firm intentions to erect a memorial at Babyn Yar, saying "we will definitely complete it."