On 27 January, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, together with members of the diplomatic corps of foreign states, representatives of the Jewish community, the Chief Rabbi of Kyiv and Ukraine, and members of the public, commemorated the memory of millions of innocent children, women, and men murdered as a result of Nazi genocidal policies.

This shared act of remembrance and solidarity serves as a reminder of the responsibility borne by the contemporary world in the face of past atrocities — to defend human dignity, protect life, and uphold the right to peace.

For Ukraine, the memory of the Holocaust is an inseparable part of its own history. Babyn Yar stands as one of the key sites of the Holocaust in Europe — a symbol of genocide and mass violence, permanently inscribed in European and global memory.

Addressing the commemoration, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized:

“This is a clear lesson of history: when hatred against one people is not stopped, others cannot remain indifferent or stand aside. Aggression and contempt for the lives of individuals and entire nations must never prevail. The defense of life must be the responsibility not only of the brave, but of all humanity.”

Today, as Russia’s war against Ukraine once again confronts the world with questions of responsibility, the memory of the Holocaust reminds us that evil does not disappear on its own, and that indifference only enables its spread.

Eternal memory to all victims of the Holocaust.