Ukraine strengthens cooperation with Israel in many sectors of the economy – Boris Lozhkin at the Kyiv Jewish Forum

“About 500,000 people from Ukraine live in Israel today. Our countries have agreed on a visa-free space during those thirty years, established a free trade zone, have become reliable partners with each other in many sectors, from agriculture and IT sphere to culture and medicine,” Lozhkin said.

The main reason for holding this forum is the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the State of Israel and Ukraine, which will be celebrated on December 26.

“The President of the State of Israel Isaac Herzog made his first official foreign visit this year namely to Ukraine. Thirty years ago, when diplomatic relations were established between Israel and the independent Ukraine, Chaim Herzog, the father of the current President, was the President of the State of Israel,” noted the JCU President.

According to Lozhkin, a number of important events for the Jewish community have taken place in Ukraine over the past year. In autumn, Kyiv hosted events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy.

On the eve of this date, based on the materials of Yad Vashem, the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine, together with the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center and the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, published the book “Righteous Among the Nations. Ukraine”. There are 2,674 stories of the Righteous Ukrainians who saved Jews during the Holocaust in it.

“Another important event for Ukrainian Jews was the adoption of the Law on Preventing and Countering Anti-Semitism by the Verkhovna Rada. This law lays down a working definition of anti-Semitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). The principled position of the parliamentarians and President of Ukraine Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky played a huge role in the adoption of this important definition,” emphasized Lozhkin.

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