4 members of Ukraine’s governing physique urged Santa Clara County residents to help their nation in its continued warfare with Russia throughout a diplomatic go to Tuesday.
Serhii Soboliev, 63, a member of the opposition get together in Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, stated People might really feel, “Oh, it’s not my war,” nevertheless it “actually is your warfare.”
“Everybody must understand that we are struggling not only for our territory, not only for our democracy,” Soboliev stated. “We are struggling as well for your democracy, if you do not want to send your brothers, your children, as it was during World War II.”
The go to was organized via Open World, a program primarily based within the U.S. Congressional Workplace of Worldwide Management that gives federal grants to counties to host worldwide delegations. This marks Santa Clara County’s eighth delegation and second Ukrainian delegation, following a go to in 2023.
Throughout their journey, the representatives visited Washington, D.C., and Santa Clara County, staying with host households and stopping at universities to talk with college students, amongst different occasions. They had been welcomed to the county with a Ukrainian flag-raising ceremony Tuesday morning hosted by Supervisor Otto Lee and the Santa Clara County Sister Fee on the Santa Clara County Constructing.
“It’s a very great symbolic event for us, and it really connects not only our countries as economic and political status but also from people to people, from heart to heart,” stated Anna Purtova, 42, a member of Ukraine’s majority get together. “We will never forget how America was with us this last three years.”
The intention of the go to was to not solely strengthen relations on a federal and state stage but in addition on the extent of “regular Americans,” stated Igor Marchuk, 55, a member of the bulk get together, via a translator. “You are the country who is the leader of the democratic world … and we are the country that values the lives of its citizens who stand for and who fight for the democratic values.”
“It’s very important for us to make sure that the American people as a society understands Ukrainian people as a society,” he stated. “The mutual understanding and mutual recognition of our similarities as societies who’ve the identical values can’t be underestimated.”
The delegation’s remarks got here the identical day that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed a particular U.N. Safety Council session, warning that Russia will solely settle for a peaceable finish to the warfare if pressured to take action.
The visiting Ukrainian representatives emphasised the similarities between the Ukrainian and American folks, particularly shared values of democracy and freedom.
“Ukrainians who are living by you are the same as you,” Soboliev added. “They have the same interests, the same families, the same churches as you.”
The representatives are a part of a push by Ukraine to steer the U.S. authorities to approve the usage of long-range missiles on army installations in Russian territory to complete the warfare, which Purtova stated is nearer to a Ukrainian victory. Oleksii Ustenko, 30, a member of the bulk get together, additionally urged the continuation of sanctions in order that Russia can not use that cash to fund the warfare.
Visiting Ukrainian parliament members Anna Purtova, Igor Marchuk and Serhii Soboliev, hearken to speeches at a flag-raising ceremony Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, on the Santa Clara County constructing in San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Space Information Group)
Ukraine wants the U.S. authorities to offer extra F16 and F35 fighter jets, in addition to the Patriot safety system, “to guard our cities, faculties, hospitals,” Soboliev stated. The U.S. authorities has despatched greater than $55.7 billion in army help to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, based on the U.S. Division of State.
“It’s better to protect world democracy by sending weapons to us, by sending hospitals to us, by helping our civilians,” Soboliev added.
The representatives additionally emphasised the significance of Ukraine’s being allowed to hitch NATO as a full member.
“Without this, the war will never be finished,” Soboliev stated. “It will spread all over and all over, because all tyrants will understand that they can fight democracy.”
Anastasia Lukashenko sings the Ukrainian nationwide anthem throughout a go to by members of the Ukraine parliament throughout a flag-raising ceremony, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, on the Santa Clara County constructing in San Jose, Calif. Board of Supervisors Vice President Otto Lee stands at consideration within the background. (Karl Mondon/Bay Space Information Group)
Santa Clara County is a “very internationally focused jurisdiction,” stated Nancy Madison, chair of the County Sister Fee. “This helps to develop people-to-people diplomacy, the citizen diplomacy, rather than the official diplomacy at the elected official level.”
The delegates will keep in California till Thursday. They visited Santa Clara College on Monday and can go to Stanford College on Wednesday.
Ustenko stated the delegation appreciated seeing Ukrainian flags flown in a present of help throughout their go to.
“We feel that the United States is with us,” he stated. “The citizens of the United States, they’re with us and they support us. Please don’t stop. We need to win this war together.”
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Additionally they mentioned the significance of unity. Although they’re members of various events, because the outbreak of warfare, these events have labored collectively towards one purpose: the top of the warfare.
“On behalf of all our people that were killed during this war, on behalf of more than 20,000 children that were stolen from Ukraine by Russia, on behalf of those who lost their arms and legs, on behalf of those who are waiting for their beloved one to return from the battlefield and even on behalf of all of us who continue to live in Ukraine,” Purtova added, “we ask you to keep supporting Ukraine in our fight.”
Ukrainian flags are held by spectators throughout a go to by Ukraine parliament members sister metropolis flag-raising ceremony, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, on the Santa Clara County constructing in San Jose, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Space Information Group)
