NEW YORK – Reflecting on the contentious meeting between President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Feb. 28, Archbishop Borys Gudziak highlighted five words: “Unity. Dignity. Resilience. Sacrifice. Gratitude.”
“These are the words that are in my heart on this turbulent day,” Gudziak told Crux in an email. “These words define modern Ukrainian history. They have become even more pronounced over the years of Russian aggression against Ukraine.”
“Today, their significance is singular,” said Gudziak, who leads the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Philadelphia, and president of the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. “Their embodiment in action will help us persevere – not only now but in the days and weeks ahead.”
In the Oval Office with cameras rolling, a meeting between Trump, Vance, and Zelenskyy turned tense. Trump and Vance accused Zelenskyy of being disrespectful and ungrateful for the support Ukraine has received from the United States. Zelenskyy barely got a word in, and ultimately departed the White House without the two sides signing a minerals deal, as they were expected to.
Gudziak, in his message to Crux, didn’t touch on the content of the meeting itself, but highlighted the gratitude the Ukrainian people feel toward the American people for their support, and how it’s enabled them to persist through the war for more than three years.
“The Ukrainian people – soldiers and civilians alike, the government, the Church, and civil society – are profoundly grateful to the American people and to all people of goodwill across the world in the hundreds of millions,” Gudziak said. “For every word and every deed, for every prayer.”
“Your support empowers Ukrainians to defend their God-given dignity, protect innocent lives, and uphold the values of the democratic world,” he continued. “This solidarity has strengthened our resilience, enabling a modern-day David to stand against a ruthless Goliath – against shameless aggression and genocide that seek to obliterate our people and undermine international rule of law.”
Gudziak also said that in the present moment the Ukrainian people need unity.
Today, Ukrainians need unity,” Gudziak said. “Unity rooted in truth has the power to stop evil.”
“Ukraine does not seek pity; it asks for support to protect its people, its cities and villages, to defend the truth about humanity, to defend God’s truth,” Gudziak said. Ukraine needs unity of people – of every nation and every citizen – to establish a just peace, a peace Ukrainians long for more than anyone and for which they are making the ultimate sacrifice.”
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