"FREE PEOPLE" ASSISTED THE VISIT OF EXPERTS FROM LEADING US THINK-TANKS TO UKRAINE
This June 7-13 an official delegation of international experts from the United States, representing influential think tanks - AFPC (American Foreign Policy Council), Jamestown Foundation, Hudson Institute and Heritage Foundation visited Ukraine. The delegationwill share its findings and make recommendations to the White House and Congress regarding policy toward Russia, Ukraine and Russia’s hybrid war against Ukraine and other countries including the Euro-Atlantic community. Last week Presidents of the USA and Ukraine met to discuss current situation.
The delegation of American experts visited Lviv, Odesa, Zaporizhia, Kyiv, Mariupol, met with Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Andrew Paruby, secretary of Ukraine's NSDC Oleksandr Turchynov, the head of the SBU Basil Grytsak, Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov, the Prosecutor General Yuri Lutsenko, Minister of Health Ulana Suprun, military prosecutor Anatoly Matios, director of the Institute of national Remembrance Volodymyr Viatrovych, MPs Sergey Vysotsky, Hanna Hopko, Oleksandr Opanasenko, Ostap Yednak and many other officials, politicians, public figures, military personnel and civil society volunteers.
The delegation also met with Andrew Levus, chairman of the subcommittee on national security, the Head of "Free People".
"Russia's interest is not limited to Ukraine. The international community understands the challenges and threats of a hybrid war, it is aware that Putin's imperial ambitions threaten the whole free world. Specifically, the members of the US delegation support our struggle, imposing sanctions against Russian businessmen who are involved to the annexation of the Crimea or Donbass occupation. In turn, in Ukraine we are working to strongly counteract Russian influence in various spheres of public life, from information space to the economy", - said Andrew Levus.
The Americans, accompanied by Sergii Kuzan, deputy head of "Free People" and other volunteers visited military positions in the area of Shyrokino just outside Mariupil and inside ATO, and units from the permanent deployment of Marines and 56th brigades of the Armed Forces.According to Sergii Kuzan, it was important for the analysts from the US to witness the current situation, and not rely exclusively on "third "sources.
"The international community understands that Ukraine is the frontline of defense against the spread of Russia’s hybridwar, including military aggression to other countries in Europe. Implicitly, the US should support economic sanctions against Russia; continue military training programs and provide us with modern weapons. Also the question of the future of the transatlantic community is being deciding in Donbas. These are the realities and it is important to bring them to the attention of the leaders of the free world, because the struggle for Ukraine is not only in ATO but also in the capitals Europe, North America and beyond”, - said Sergii Kuzan.
The visit was organized through the work of the Ukrainian community in the US: President of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) Andriy Futey, acting President of the International Council in Support of Ukraine Borys Potapenko, “Jurkiw Family Foundation” President Gene Jurkiw and Orysia Dmytrenko, and leaders of the Center for US-Ukraine Relations Dr. Walter Zarycky and Mykola Hryckowian.
