Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, with the help of an interpreter, speaks to a bunch gathered on the World Commerce Heart Utah workplace in Salt Lake Metropolis on Monday, April 17, 2023. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and his spouse Kateryna Yushchenko stroll out of the World Commerce Heart Utah workplaces in Salt Lake Metropolis on Monday, April 17, 2023. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko speaks to a bunch gathered on the World Commerce Heart Utah workplace in Salt Lake Metropolis on Monday, April 17, 2023. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko attracts an image on a Ukrainian flag that he's gifted to the World Commerce Heart Utah in Salt Lake Metropolis on Monday, April 17, 2023. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, who survived an assassination try by poisoning in 2004 earlier than changing into the nation’s third president, had a easy message Monday throughout a go to to Utah:
“Ukraine will probably be free.”
He expressed certainty that Ukraine will win the struggle in opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin, noting the 54 international locations which are supporting Ukraine make up 75% of the world GDP, in comparison with Russia’s 2%.
“After all we now have no doubts, collectively we are going to win,” he stated by means of his translator, Maryna Antonova.
His feedback got here when Yushchenko, alongside his spouse, Kateryna, met with Utah officers and enterprise leaders in Salt Lake Metropolis on the World Commerce Heart Utah’s downtown workplace Monday afternoon.
Earlier within the day, the previous president, who served from 2005 to 2010, additionally met with the Deseret Information editorial board. His go to concluded with a profit dinner Monday night on the Grand America hosted by the Idaho-based charity To Ukraine With Love, and sponsored by Zions Financial institution, Wasatch Group, Gardner and The Dell Loy Hansen Household Basis. Utah actual property developer Dell Loy Hansen has taken a private curiosity in aiding Ukraine and has dedicated tens of millions in donations to assist construct dozens of houses in destroyed neighborhoods by means of To Ukraine With Love.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, amongst different state officers, attended Monday night time’s profit dinner and exchanged phrases of help with the previous president.
“It’s an honor to have him right here,” Cox informed the Deseret Information in an interview Monday night. “But in addition a useful reminder to all of us of the destruction that's taking place in Ukraine, however the hope that's there as effectively.”
Cox pointed to his latest name with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his give attention to guaranteeing the “rebuilding effort begins now, not simply when the struggle is over.” Cox famous “many beneficiant Utahns” are serving to with rebuilding efforts. However because the struggle persists, he urged Utahns to maintain the charitable work coming.
“I’d wish to see Utah proceed to help the work the identical means we did within the first couple of weeks,” Cox stated. “It’s simple to neglect because it drags on and sources are being spent, however these are actual individuals and that is actually good versus evil. And I consider that historical past will smile kindly on states like Utah who've been so beneficiant.”
Throughout every gathering, Yushchenko described each the challenges and the hope of the war-torn nation nonetheless combating to suppress Russia’s invasion that started greater than a 12 months in the past. Ukraine has been at struggle with Russia since 2014, however has been combating off a full-scale invasion since Feb. 24, 2022.
Yushchenko urged Ukraine’s allies to proceed supporting his nation — however to additionally take into consideration “the way forward for Russia after we win this struggle. ... If Russia stays the best way it's, it signifies that we fail in no matter objectives we're setting for ourselves. With Russia the best way it's, no nation on the planet can safely plan its future,” he stated.
Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and his spouse Kateryna Yushchenko stroll out of the World Commerce Heart Utah workplaces in Salt Lake Metropolis on Monday, April 17, 2023.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
“The victory within the struggle of Ukraine is, to start with, the victory of the free world,” he stated, “and creating the whole lot that's essential to be sure that Russia by no means once more turns into the supply of aggression, the supply of instability, and the supply of struggle.”
Whereas applauding continued efforts to ship help to Ukraine — whether or not it’s meals or provides to tens of millions of displaced Ukrainians — Yushchenko additionally urged Ukraine’s allies in Utah and the world over to additionally assist the nation construct itself again up even stronger than earlier than the invasion.
Economically, Yushchenko stated Ukraine has huge potential to broaden its grain processing and exports to assist farmers construct their companies and, due to this fact, the nation’s whole economic system. He urged the U.S. to share its experience, expertise and exporting capabilities to assist Ukraine entry a bigger market.
“I’m dreaming large, however that is one thing that we will all do and one thing that's price consideration of a rustic with such superior expertise, sources and data as the USA,” he stated.
Yushchenko’s go to comes forward of an upcoming commerce mission, throughout which Utah officers are anticipated to go to Ukraine and meet with humanitarian organizations in addition to authorities officers.
Franz Kolb, worldwide commerce and diplomacy director for the Utah Governor’s Workplace of Financial Alternative, welcomed Yushchenko to the Beehive State.
“We would like you to know that the state of Utah is dedicated to Ukraine,” Kolb stated on the lunch hosted by World Commerce Heart Utah. “I’d wish to not simply welcome you. We're a state of motion.”
Yushchenko additionally applauded the work of To Ukraine With Love, a nonprofit that has fielded tens of millions in donations to deliver the whole lot from sleeping baggage to scorching meals to displaced Ukrainians. The charity has additionally constructed modular houses to accommodate households in hard-hit villages close to Kyiv.
“That is what's crucial for tens of millions of individuals dwelling in Ukraine and affected by the implications of the struggle,” he informed the Deseret Information’ editorial board. “What to eat? The place to reside? Will colleges reopen once more? How can we get entry to well being companies? Methods to deliver households collectively which are separated by time and distance? Methods to come again to the homes which are destroyed. ... All these points are on everybody’s agenda in Ukraine right now.”
Yushchenko, on the conclusion of his remarks, supplied a blue and yellow flag to Utah officers, which he signed with a black marker. On the flag subsequent to his signature, he additionally drew a sketch of a conventional Ukrainian house.
“That is the best Ukraine all of us have in our minds,” he stated. “A rustic with stunning homes.”
Utah officers gifted the previous president a crystal honeypot within the form of a beehive, symbolizing the state’s motto of business and collaboration.
Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko speaks to a bunch gathered on the World Commerce Heart Utah workplace in Salt Lake Metropolis on Monday, April 17, 2023.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
Getting Putin out of the U.N.?
Yushchenko informed the Deseret Information editorial board that he believes Putin must be pushed out of the United Nations Safety Council, describing it as “considered one of my private objectives.”
“I believe there are numerous causes to do that, to push Russia out, plus we do know that many attorneys of the world, together with American attorneys, are working laborious on ensuring that this occurs.”
On the time of his presidency, Yushchenko stated he handled Putin “one-on-one” at occasions however they lined “vital points that had been on the bilateral agenda” between Russia and Ukraine.
Yushchenko famous he’s “all the time been a really open opponent” to Russian insurance policies and politics, however on the time “we did take care of one another as companions. I did really feel that there was respect in the direction of Ukraine and me as an individual talking on behalf of Ukraine.”
“What was going (on) in Putin’s head, I'm not going to remark, however a minimum of we had a dialogue. I additionally perceive I used to be most likely essentially the most undesirable particular person within the place of Ukraine that Putin ever needed to see. However we nonetheless handled him and mentioned no matter points had been vital for each international locations on the time.”
Yushchenko gained the Ukrainian presidency after the Orange Revolution, or a sequence of nationwide protests all through Ukraine that challenged election outcomes that had been in favor of his opponent, Viktor Yanukovych. The protests led to the unique outcomes being annulled, and Ukraine’s Supreme Courtroom ordering a revote. The ultimate outcomes confirmed a victory for Yushchenko with about 52% of the vote.
Yushchenko stated Putin congratulated his opponent thrice, however nonetheless finally “needed to take care of me.” He stated he doesn’t keep in mind Putin ever congratulating him on his election, however “it’s not about non-public relations, as a result of I used to be representing my nation. My job as president was to guard pursuits of my nation and focus on points that had been vital for our bilateral agenda.”
Yushchenko applauded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his administration “in how effectively they convey the wants of Ukraine” to different international locations.
Why Utahns ought to care
Yushchenko stated what’s taking place in Ukraine, irrespective of the place you reside, “impacts everybody globally.”
“The query is all the time who's subsequent? What nation will probably be attacked?” he stated. “The issue is that Putin desires to revise the entire safety association of the world, he desires to have a bigger sphere of affect.”
Yushchenko stated Putin desires the Soviet Union again.
“Because of this I say that should you reside in Utah ... this all involves you. That is all about defending safety within the individuals of Utah as effectively. As a result of what we struggle for in Ukraine is to be sure that Russia shouldn't be imposing its chaos, imposing its brutality, (and) doesn't affect insurance policies and safety preparations for every other nation of the world.”
He stated Ukraine’s allies should ask, “What will we do then to the supply of aggression? What will we do then with ensuring one thing like that by no means occurs once more?”
“That is the place it turns into very difficult. If we're all collectively as allies on this struggle, whether it is OK with us that after what Russia did to Ukraine and to different elements of the world they will nonetheless be a rustic like they're they usually can nonetheless protect this regime and the affect and Russia stays the supply of aggression and the supply of safety challenges and the supply of instability for the entire world, it can let Russia proceed to do what they do after the victory of Ukraine,” Yushchenko stated.
“I believe all of us lose.”
Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko attracts an image on a Ukrainian flag that he's gifted to the World Commerce Heart Utah in Salt Lake Metropolis on Monday, April 17, 2023.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information