First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska participated on November 19th in a meeting of the International Trust Fund (ITF) in Ljubljana, a humanitarian organization focused on the recovery and development of countries affected by conflicts.
Olena Zelenska: “I am grateful to Slovenia for announcing its intention to take patronage over the recovery projects in the Kharkiv region. Amid Russian Destruction, Restoring a Normal and Dignified Life for People Is Both Humane and Wise”
Among the attendees were Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar, First Gentleman Aleš Musar, and Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko.
Olena Zelenska emphasized that the meeting took place on the 1,000th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion
“The relentless Russian shelling of recent days, the mourning in my hometown of Kryvyi Rih for a family where three children and their mother were killed… These are the realities Ukraine has been living through for 1,000 days because of Russia’s full-scale attack,” the First Lady stated.
She noted that over the past month, Russian invaders have destroyed or damaged 380 houses in Kharkiv alone.
“That is why I am grateful to Slovenia for announcing its intention to take patronage over the recovery projects in the Kharkiv region. But we cannot wait until the war is over to begin rebuilding. People who are left without homes, wrapped only in emergency blankets, need to continue to live – and to live with dignity,” the President’s wife stressed.
The First Lady also invited the Slovenian fund to join initiatives implemented by the Olena Zelenska Foundation.
In addition, Olena Zelenska met with Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob, thanking Slovenia for its military and humanitarian assistance, the bilateral security agreement signed this summer, and its accession to the Joint Declaration of Support for Recovery and Reconstruction of Ukraine.
In the presence of Olena Zelenska and Robert Golob, three Slovenian clinics signed memoranda of medical partnership with Ukrainian institutions. The Ljubljana Clinic will collaborate with the Volyn Regional Territorial Medical Association for the Protection of Motherhood and Childhood. The Ljubljana Maternity Hospital will partner with the Odesa Perinatal Center. The University Medical Center Maribor will partner with the Poltava Regional Clinical Hospital named after Sklifosovsky.
“The partnerships we initiated last year at the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen have grown from the initial 25 agreements to 54. They are already saving lives and will continue to do so,” concluded the First Lady of Ukraine.
Source: The Embassy of Ukraine in Ljubljana