Ukraine President Poroshenko on state visit to Israel 22 Dec 2015
Israeli Missions Around The World MFA Press Room 2015 Ukraine President Poroshenko on state visit to Israel 22 Dec 2015

Ukraine President Poroshenko on state visit to Israel

  •   Ukraine stands with the State of Israel
  • 12/22/2015
    •    
    President Rivlin: Today, Ukraine and Israel enjoy wonderful progress and cooperation - in education, medicine, culture, and in economics, where our trade has grown from strength to strength. President Poroshenko: Ukraine stands with the State of Israel.
  • icon_zoom.png
    President Rivlin hosts Ukraine President Poroshenko President Rivlin hosts Ukraine President Poroshenko Copyright: GPO/Mark Neiman
     
     
    (Communicated by the President's Spokesperson)

    President Reuven and First Lady Nechama Rivlin on Tuesday morning (22 December 2015), hosted at the President's Residence an official welcoming ceremony for President Petro and Frist Lady Maryna Poroshenko of Ukraine, who were on a state visit to Israel. The Presidents stood together for the national anthems, inspected an honor guard of the Israel Defense Forces, and delivered brief media statements before going on to hold a working bilateral meeting.
     
    In his remarks, President Rivlin noted, "In the Ukraine, we remember a long history, a history of one thousand years of Jewish life in the cities and towns of the Ukraine; in Kiev, in Odesa, in Lvov - and even in the imagination of the great Shalom Aleichem, in the little town of Anatevka. Life that was almost totally wiped out by the Nazis who wanted to destroy Jewish life, and the Jewish people. We also know however, that from these great, beautiful cities came the seeds of hope who rebuilt Jewish independence."
     
    The President thanked the Ukrainian President for his country's decision to return Torah scrolls and other Jewish artifacts which were taken over time, "This is a sign of our good relations and should be just one step, in the strengthening of these ties. Our future depends on us, learning the lessons of the past, and we must condemn together all forms of hatred and racism."
     
    He concluded, "Today, Ukraine and Israel enjoy wonderful progress and cooperation - in education, medicine, culture, and in economics, where our trade has grown from strength to strength."
     
    President Poroshenko thanked the President for his warm welcome, and said, "I have arrived as a president of a country, which every single day wins back its independence, its sovereignty, and its territorial integrity. Although our stories are different we have many similarities, one of which is about building up a successful state against turbulent regional realities, and under continuous attack from terrorism. That is what we are doing in the Ukraine these days, and that is what you are doing in Israel for many years now."
     
    He praised the resilience of the Israeli people over the years and said, "I have always admired the faith and determination of the Israeli people, and we can learn a lot from the Israeli people's bravery and patriotism, and the way in which the Jewish people have built up their country. Titanic efforts have been made to raise the country from the ashes, and save its culture and traditions. Since its independence, your country has faced serious external military threats, in spite of which you have undergone a remarkable transformation. You have propelled Israel to the top in the science, the economy, in military power.  Your country stands united, and my country is on a similar path and the same stand. I see my visit to Israel has an opportunity to endorse unbreakable bonds between our nations, and exchange with you about common challenges and ways to overcome them. Your knowledge and your experience, is very important for us here Mr. President."
     
    He stressed, "So as I begin this visit, I declare that Ukraine stands with the State of Israel."
     
    President Poroshenko concluded by extending an invitation to President Rivlin to visit Ukraine early next year.




     

  • PM Netanyahu meets with Ukraine President Poroshenko

  •  
    (Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Advisor)
     
    PM Netanyahu meets with Ukraine President Poroshenko
    Copyright: GPO/Kobi Gideon

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Tuesday, 22 December 2015), in Jerusalem, met with Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko. At the start of their meeting, several bilateral agreements were signed: A plan of understandings on scientific and technological cooperation that calls for – inter alia – cooperation between research institutes, participation in conferences and seminars and the financing of joint projects; a memorandum of understandings in the field of transportation security, the goal of which is to develop and strengthen bilateral cooperation;  a cinema coproduction agreement that will establish mechanisms for bilateral cooperation on the joint production of films in order to strengthen reciprocal culture and technology links; and an agreement on the employment of diplomats' spouses.
     
    The two leaders then met privately and with their delegations. Among the topics discussed were agricultural cooperation, a free trade area and cooperation in the fields of health and mental health. President Poroshenko invited Prime Minister Netanyahu to visit Ukraine.
     
    Prime Minister Netanyahu: "The histories of our, the Ukrainian people and the Jewish people are intertwined for over a thousand years. It's a history that encompasses both great accomplishment, as well as enormous tragedy.
     
    Some of Israel's greatest literary figures were born in the Ukraine, including our national poet, our Shakespeare, Hayim Nahman Bialik, who came from the Ukraine. The Nobel laureate, writer, Shai Agnon came from the Ukraine. Some of our greatest rabbis were born in the Ukraine, including Rabbi Nachman of Breslov and Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, who I had the great privilege of knowing personally, I had many discussions with him.
     
    Some of Israel's foremost political leaders were born in the Ukraine, including three of my successors - Prime Ministers Moshe Sharett, Levi Eshkol, and Golda Meir. And, no less important for me, the great Zionist leader Ze'ev Jabotinsky was also born in the Ukraine. He's a tremendous moral and political authority that resonates through the ages, resonates for me every day.
     
    So, you can understand why many Israelis, like me, feel personally connected to your country. Every year tens of thousands of Israelis visit the Ukraine. Even more Ukrainians visit Israel, and that came after my government decided to cancel the visas and this was met by a similar decision by the Government of Ukraine and this led to a boom in tourism. But tourism is only one aspect of the ever-expanding relationship between our two countries. We cooperate in culture and in agriculture; in trade and investment; in science and technology; in health and medicine. And our cooperation in these and other areas, I think, brings tangible benefits to both our peoples.
     
    Mr. President, I want to commend you personally for your resolute stance against racism and anti-Semitism. I think that this has a special meaning for us in principle, but also in relation to the large Jewish community that lives in Ukraine and for which we have special regard and warmth and close connections.
     
    We've agreed to commemorate the 74th anniversary of the massacres of the Jews in Babi Yar, and I think that by learning the lessons of the past, we help to ensure a better future.
     
    Finally, Mr. President, your visit comes at a special time in the Holy Land just before Christmas.  I know that in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Christmas is celebrated according to the Julian calendar in January, but nevertheless, I want to take this opportunity to wish you and the Ukrainian people a joyous Christmas.
     
    And you know Mr. President, in the Middle East, Israel is one of the few countries, I would even say probably the only country in which Christians can be free, can worship openly, safely, proudly. They can celebrate this important holiday and other holidays at any time with no fear. I know many Ukrainians will be celebrating Christmas along with them. I wish them all the best, and Mr. President, once again, welcome to Jerusalem."
     
    Ukraine President Poroshenko: "We think that our negotiations would be devoted also to the trade and economic cooperation. I'm really interested in demonstrating the progress for creating the free trade agreement between Ukraine and Israel, because this is the only way how we can create a competitive economy and how we can overcome the crisis removing all the barriers in bilateral trade, with a trade turnover between Ukraine and Israel exceeding $ 1 billion yearly. We are interested in speeding up this process and use the unique opportunity we have from the 1st of January to deepen the comprehensive agreement for free trade with European Union. I think this is a unique potential of our bilateral and multilateral relations.
     
    We attach a special importance to developing partners relation with the Israel industry of high technology and since Israel is recognized as a world leader in the high tech.
     
    I want to confirm that we are looking forward to seeing the Israeli delegation in the 75th anniversary of commemorating Babi Yar. We created a special committee for organizing this special commemoration to remind the whole world how important the Holocaust and the tragedy of Babi Yar are the next generations.
     
    And I will have the pleasure to invite you and to go together to Odessa and to see the place where lots of prominent political, cultural, religious leaders of Israel were born. And, I'm interested in the Israeli participation on the highest level in commemoration of this event. I'll be looking forward seeing you at that time."