The
McCain Institute at Arizona State University (ASU) and
World Central Kitchen hosted an event at the U.S.
Capitol with Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member
Jim Risch and a bipartisan group of five other U.S.
Senators, focused on the grassroots defense of democracy
and human rights in Ukraine following another Russian
invasion.
Speakers
included Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Lindsey
Graham (R-S.C.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Jim
Risch (R-Idaho), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.),
Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Ukrainian Ambassador to the
United States Oksana Markarova. Following these remarks,
a panel conversation was moderated by McCain Institute
Executive Director Dr. Evelyn Farkas and featured a
dialogue with World Central Kitchen CEO Nate Mook, 2022
Ukrainian McCain Global Leader Dr. Mariia Levchenko,
World Central Kitchen’s operations lead in Kyiv, Ukraine
Kate Serdiuk, and First Secretary at the Ukrainian
Embassy in Washington, D.C. Kateryna Smagliy, who is
also an alumna of the McCain Institute’s leadership
programs.
“What
we’re going to do today … is to talk about the untold
and sometimes overlooked stories of hundreds of
thousands of Ukrainians who, as citizens, have answered
a call to defend their home country and the sanctity of
democracy, not through the military... but today they’re
doing it through grassroots efforts across the entire
Ukrainian community,” said McCain Institute
Executive Director Dr. Evelyn Farkas. “The work
of these citizens should be an inspiration to all of us,
Americans and truly everyone, as they not only fight for
their country, but they fight for democracy for the
surrounding region and really for the international
community.”
Through
the McCain Institute’s McCain Global Leaders
Program and World Central
Kitchen’s on-the-ground partnerships in
Ukraine and in Poland to provide
meals for displaced Ukrainians, both organizations are
working to directly assist humanitarian efforts and
support democracy in the region.
“Senator
McCain was such a true friend to Ukraine, he was there
every time we needed him there,”
said Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S.
Oksana Markarova. “We still feel that
through the Institute he is with us, and he is helping
us through all of the excellent work that you are
doing.”
“Supporting
Ukraine is not just with the missiles and the bullets,
it’s also with food. We need to ease the burden on the
Ukrainian government, we need to stabilize the liberated
cities and towns, and we have to make sure that we meet
the humanitarian needs of these communities,”
said World Central Kitchen CEO Nate
Mook. “Russia right now is trying to expand its
influence through hard power. We the United States need
to expand our influence through soft power, and
humanitarian aid is America’s most effective form of
soft power. But it’s hard work and takes a lot of
commitment. Winning hearts and minds comes from caring
for people in their darkest hour.”
To
close the event, First Secretary at the
Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, D.C. Kateryna
Smagliy reminded the audience of one of
Senator McCain’s favorite historical speeches: “Man in
the Arena” by President Theodore Roosevelt.
“I
believe that the words of President Roosevelt in his
famous speech to be in the arena are so important today
and resonate so strongly with what is happening today
and what the challenges of the day require from us.”
Click HERE to
view the full event.
Excerpts
from Senators remarks:
Senator
Ben Cardin (D-Md.)
“I
think of Senator McCain frequently. He was my hero in
regards to human rights; he was my partner in regards to
the passage of the Magnitsky sanctions law. The two of
us hold the distinction of being the very first two on
the prohibitive list by the Russian Federation to visit
Russia. His efforts to help in the passage of the
Magnitsky sanctions is one of the key tools to go after
those who are helping finance the Russian atrocity
machine.”
Senator
Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
“If
John were still with us, he wouldn’t be here he would be
in the Donbas…he would be all in defending our friends
in Ukraine…There was $5 billion in the last aid package
to help people who depend on grain and corn coming out
of Ukraine, 40 nations in the world get 50% of their
grain supply from Ukraine. They are in a world of hurt.
I think that in and of itself is a war crime. You’re
affecting nations outside of the battle zone and you’re
doing it deliberately.”
Senator
Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.)
“There
was no greater supporter of Ukrainian independence than
Senator John McCain. So it’s quite fitting that the
McCain Institute has gathered and rallied grassroots
leaders from around the region to shed light on the
heroic and life-saving efforts supporting Ukraine and
its neighbors. In these last few months, we have seen
proof that America is at its best when we rally the
world around shared values and lead the fight against
evil.”
Senator
Jim Risch (R-Idaho)
“Groups
like World Central Kitchen have risen to the challenge
and have provided hundreds of thousands of fresh meals
and food kits to Ukrainians both inside and outside the
country each day. For that we are very grateful…Sadly,
the shortages created by Russia’s brutal and unjustified
war extend far beyond Ukraine. Putin is quite literally
using food as a weapon blocking exports to countries in
need.”
Senator
Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)
“If
there’s one thing that’s clear right now, it’s that the
frontier of freedom on the planet runs through the
Donbas, and we need to make sure that we win the battle
along that frontier."
Senator
Todd Young (R-Ind.)
“Even
as Putin has made the starvation of Ukraine a priority,
this is a national security priority of Vladimir Putin.
He’s been starving people, targeting crop land and
targeting food storage facilities. He has unleashed his
war machine on the peoples and cities of Ukraine. We’ve
seen in the midst of all this a groundswell of support
for those with no greater hope to see families not
starve and for justice to prevail. We in Congress can
shine a better light on the challenge that these
individuals face and we can be a voice for those who
have experienced food insecurity due to aggression
conflict and
violence.” |