On October 28, Andrii Nadzhos, Deputy Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications for European Integration, met with a delegation from the McCain Institute and representatives from analytical institutions in the United States, including the National Endowment for Democracy, the New America think tank, the U.S. Institute of Peace, and Cornell University.
During the meeting, Andrii Nadzhos expressed gratitude to the leadership of the United States, Congress, and the entire American people for their unwavering support of Ukraine in its fight against the russian aggressor.
The parties discussed issues related to countering russia’s attempts to destroy Ukrainian identity, as well as countering disinformation that the aggressor country uses to manipulate public opinion both in Ukraine and in other countries.
The deliberate destruction of cultural heritage and the erasure of cultural identity in Ukraine by russians are war crimes, crimes against humanity, and indicative of a specific genocidal intent to eliminate Ukrainian national identity. This is why one of the key priorities of the new Strategy for the Development of Ukrainian Culture for 2025–2030, currently being developed by the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications, will be the protection of Ukrainian culture and the preservation of cultural heritage as integral components of the foundation of society and state resilience.
“russia systematically plunders and destroys Ukraine’s cultural heritage, including archaeological sites and museum treasures. It is important to make every effort to preserve them, and the future Strategy will focus on accomplishing these tasks. Ukraine must clearly document not only what has been looted but also what has been destroyed,” emphasized the Deputy Minister.
The parties separately discussed the issue of countering russian disinformation aimed at justifying military aggression against Ukraine, concealing the real scale of military actions, and hiding russia’s crimes against humanity, war crimes, and acts of aggression. Countering these phenomena is one of the Ministry’s main tasks, as is the formation of proactive strategic communications aimed at uniting society and positioning Ukraine in the world, including through cultural means and achievements.
Andrii Nadzhos expressed hope for substantial support from partners, including the United States, in enhancing Ukraine’s communication efforts in negotiations with Global South countries to gain their support for the President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula and to end the war on terms and basic principles of international law that are fair to our state.
He also called on the United States to support Ukraine within the framework of the “Neapolitan Initiative”, aimed at systematizing cooperation among international partners to protect and preserve Ukrainian cultural heritage.
