Opening synagogues is our answer to Putin – Zelensky

Photo: Zelensky takes part in a Jewish ceremony with rabbis at the Presidential Office. Source: Presidential Office

Volodymyr Zelensky said that synagogues, memorials to Holocaust victims, and the country’s anti-antisemitism law are Ukraine’s response to accusations made by Russia. He made the remarks in an interview with American blogger Laura Loomer.

Asked whether there are Nazis in Ukraine, the president said there are “none and never have been,” pointing to the country’s “hundreds of minorities” and Jewish communities.

Zelensky also spoke separately about Ukraine’s legislation against antisemitism, describing it as exceptional and among the strictest of its kind. According to him, no comparable law exists elsewhere in Europe, and it was adopted during his presidency.

“We have a special, very strict law. No European country has such a strict law. Antisemitism is outlawed in our country. We did this during my presidency – we passed this law by vote,” Zelensky said.

According to him, “the number of synagogues, the number of these tragic memorials, the number of these stories, the number of these millions of people – all of this, together with the law and everything else – is our answer to Putin.”

During the interview, Laura Loomer noted that the United States has no comparable provision explicitly outlawing antisemitism.

As the UOJ previously reported, Zelensky received rabbis from across Ukraine at the Presidential Office to mark Passover.

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