On Monday, February 28,Congressman Andy Levin (D-MI), fellow bipartisan members of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, interfaith leaders and Ukrainian American citizens and members of the Ukrainian American Crisis Response Committee of Michigan held a gathering of solidarity at the national Holodomor Memorial.
Congressman Levin was joined by Congressional Ukraine Co-Chairs, Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Andy Harris (R-MD), as well as Reps. Sean Casten (D-IL), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL).
Watch the event in its entirety here.
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The event was held at the Holodomor Memorial, a Federal monument honoring the millions of Ukrainians who perished in the famine of 1932-33 perpetrated by the Soviet Union.
"We proclaim that Ukraine is a vibrant democracy seeking only to maintain its territorial integrity and the self-determination at the very core of the idea of democracy itself. Even though we are in the darkest of moments, we proclaim that we see Putin's war of aggression as an effort to destroy Ukrainian identity. And, no matter what it takes, we will not let him succeed," said Congressman Levin. "We are steadfast in our commitment not to abandon our Ukrainian friends in their time of need."
"Ukraine is important to all of us. It's important to me personally. It was my last F.B.I. assignment before joining Congress. I lived in Kyiv and I got to know very quickly an appreciation of the spirit, the passion, the drive for independence and freedom that these people hold dear in their hearts," said Congressman Fitzpatrick, Co-Chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus.
"This hallowed site, this memorial, reminds us of the danger of attacks on sovereign nations and on innocent people by brutal dictators," said Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. "And as a Jew, and as a rabbi, I hold close in my heart, the tens of thousands of Jewish souls in Ukraine, many of whom are the descendants of the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, their lives are yet another reminder of the dangers of genocidal tyrants and war mongers. And as we pray for all those who have been displaced, and are seeking refuge, we pray for those people of color in Ukraine, who are facing these terrible circumstances while also facing racism, and xenophobia as they flee to safety."
"Fourteen hours ago was the last time that I heard from my cousins in Kyiv. Thirty-eight or thirty- nine minutes ago was the last time that I asked a friend if her mother was alive. Just now, as I was arriving here. That's an awful thing to have to do. It's something I've never had to do in my life. And I hope that this ends soon," said Mykola Murskyj, Chair of the Ukrainian American Crisis Response Committee of Michigan.
As a representative of one of the most vibrant Ukrainian-American communities in the U.S., and Michigan's congressional district with the greatest number of Ukrainian Americans, Congressman Levin has condemned Russia's unprovoked attack, called for international accountability and praised President Biden's series of sanctions against Russia.
Source:https://andylevin.house.gov/media/press-releases/watch-levin-bipartisan-ukraine-caucus-colleagues-faith-leaders-join-solidarity
