Zelensky Seeks Forum at Yad Vashem, Knesset

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked to address Israel’s main Holocaust museum, Yad Vashem, about Russia’s invasion of his country, during which both sides have invoked the Nazi genocide.

Yad Vashem said in a statement on Thursday it would discuss the proposal with Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel on Sunday. The Ukrainian embassy could not immediately be reached for comment.

Russia has said it aims to “denazify” Ukraine, a claim rejected as nonsense by Kyiv and Western countries. Zelensky, who is Jewish, said Russian shelling close to Babyn Yar, a Holocaust memorial in Kyiv, on March 3 suggested “history repeating (itself).”

Zelensky has sought to drum up support with video briefings of foreign audiences that have included the U.S. Congress and the British parliament. Earlier this week, he asked to address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, but was told that it was about to go into recess.

However, on Thursday, Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy said that Zelensky is now slated to address the Knesset via Zoom in the coming days.

In a statement, Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk “thanked Speaker Levy for his welcoming response to his letter and for publicly clarifying and refuting the false information published in the press, that allegedly argued that the Speaker refused President Zelensky’s request to address members of the Knesset.”

Earlier on Thursday, Yad Vashem said it had suspended a strategic partnership with Roman Abramovich, a Russian oligarch who has faced sanctions abroad since the Ukraine invasion.

Yad Vashem announced last month that Abramovich’s pledged funding would strengthen its endeavours in the areas of Holocaust research and remembrance.

Britain also on Thursday froze the assets of Abramovich, who is the owner of Chelsea soccer club