Statement by the Press Secretary on the Holodomor

This month, the United States joins in solidarity with Ukrainian people around the world in remembrance of the victims of the Holodomor, one of the most horrific man-made tragedies in modern history.  Eighty-three years ago, more than three million people in Ukraine died as the result of the merciless policies of Joseph Stalin.  Through the deliberate seizure of Ukrainian land and crops, the Soviet Union caused widespread starvation.  Under siege and without access to food, Ukraine – once Europe’s breadbasket –  turned into a land of immeasurable human suffering.

As Ukrainians have proven to the world time and again, the human spirit is indomitable.  Even during the darkest times, the Ukrainian people have continued with dignity the struggle for peace, freedom, and democracy.  Today, faced with new threats to these values, Americans stand together with Ukrainians as they bravely defend their territory and democracy.  The Ukrainian-American community and friends of the Ukrainian people have worked hard to ensure that the memory of those who suffered during the Holodomor live on as we collectively seek to build a better, freer, and more just world.

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