September 25 in the building of the American Congress (Washington, DC, USA) held a forum on Ukraine. Its full name: “Ukraine continues to struggle for freedom: the Risk of failure of the West in all political, economic and humanitarian aid”.
For a whole day — eight hours — Ukrainian and American politicians, public figures and representatives of religious denominations analyzed the state of the Ukrainian economy and social trends. They also discussed the ways out of the humanitarian crisis, which is now the country.
According to the United Nations more than 5 million Ukrainians (out of which 1 million 700 thousand children) are in desperate need. About two million people were expelled from their homes. The UN also reports that the Finance of the international community are covered only 35% of the amount that is necessary to improve the situation. Discussion was held around the question of aid provided by the US government, EU, international institutions and the private sector in the United States and in Ukraine.
“At the forum we heard an interesting point of view: some Ukrainians believe that in the confrontation of their country with Russia, America should do more for Ukraine, and to some extent it is even its duty,” — says Paul strand, CBN correspondent in Washington.
One of the most interesting presentations during the forum was the speech of the former commander of NATO forces in Europe, General US army, retired Wesley Clark. He served 34 years in the ranks of the U.S. army and the Defense Ministry, marked by many awards and honorary titles. The author of the book “How to win a modern war”.
“If Ukraine will make the transition to Western democracy, market economy and a fair and balanced society, the rule of law, to transparency in their domestic institutions, war in Europe will be no more. Never. Ukraine occupies a Central position in the future,” said General Wesley Clark during his speech.
According to the information on the website of the organizers, the participants of the forum were: the President of the conference of the Republicans in the house Cathy Mack Morris Rogers, congressional Republicans ed Royce, Marcy Kaptur, Mike Fitzpatrick, democratic congressmen Elliot Engel and Stanny, Hower, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States Valeriy Chaly, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst, and many others.
The Ukrainian side was personally attended by the head of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine Natalie Jaresko, and the Minister of defense Stepan Poltorak, the first Vice-speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament Andrei Parubiy, and other public figures. Video address to the forum participants sent by the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.
Among the participants were heads of major religions and Christian confessions in Ukraine and the USA. In particular: the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate Filaret, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church of Ukraine Stanislav shyrokoradiuk, chief Rabbi of Kyiv and Ukraine Yaakov Dov Bleich, Ukrainian leader of the Muslim community, Ahmed Tamim, and others.
The speakers agreed that Ukraine is at the heart of global events. And that the war, which continues in the East of the country, has focused not so much on the conquest of the territories as to matters of values and ideology.