(Jewish Group)Alluding to conflict with Russia, Ukraine's Jewish president likens his nation to Jews

[Behind the Aegis]

Alluding to conflict with Russia, Ukraine’s Jewish president likens his nation to Jewish people

Amid renewed tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the leader of Ukraine drew parallels between his nation and the Jewish people at an event organized by Jews in Kyiv.

“We know what it’s like not to have an own state. We know what it means to defend one’s own state and land with weapons in hand, at the cost of our own lives,” President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is Jewish, said during a speech on Wednesday.

Zelensky, an actor and comedian who was elected president in 2019 thanks to many moderates who hoped he would deescalate the conflict with Russia, made the comments during the third annual Kyiv Jewish Forum, which is being organized by the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine, a communal body, with several partners.

“Both Ukrainians and Jews value freedom, and they work equally for the future of our states to become to our liking, and not the future which others want for us. Israel is often an example for Ukraine,” said Zelensky, who did not mention Russia explicitly in his speech at the event, which was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The theme of this year’s conference was the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Israel.

In addition, Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, told the Times of Israel that Ukraine may recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital — a goal Israel has been promoting intensively in recent years — pending some security-related conditions. Korniychuk did not specify those conditions and has not replied to questions on the matter from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

more...