Zelenskyy in Utah: ‘Evil must always, always lose’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described his country’s ongoing war as “one of the most transparent battles between good and evil in our time” during a brief speech Friday at the National Governor’s Association meeting in Salt Lake City.

“There are different wars in the world, but this is a war where it’s absolutely clear what is good and what boundaries evil crosses. This is one of the most transparent battles between good and evil of our time. It’s clear that Ukraine has done nothing wrong before God and people,” he said, taking the stage in his trademark olive-green T-shirt and pants.

Ukraine, he said, suffers only because of Russia’s “criminal” actions and unprovoked aggression.

“So many people and countries have united to help us save our freedom, and thus the common human understanding that evil must always, always lose,” he said. “What else would our world rely on if evil doesn’t lose, and good unite?”

During the 10-minute speech, Zelenskyy received repeated standing ovations from the governors, the delegates and others in the capacity crowd in the Grand America ballroom.

Zelenskyy traveled to Salt Lake City at the invitation of Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who chairs the NGA, and Jonathan Freedman, honorary consul of Ukraine in Utah and president and CEO of World Trade Center Utah. The Ukrainian leader attended the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., earlier this week.

Church leaders meet with Zelenskyy

During his time in the state, Zelenskyy met with both Democratic and Republican governors attending the conference, Utah elected officials, business executives and leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“On the margins of the National Governor’s Association Summer Meeting held in Salt Lake City on July 12, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was a guest of the conference, met with leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During a private meeting, the Ukrainian president spoke with a Church delegation led by Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. They discussed the Church’s presence in Ukraine and humanitarian assistance throughout the region,” church spokesperson Irene Caso said in a statment.

Utah Senate President Stuart Adams, who led a trade and humanitarian mission to Ukraine in May 2023, including a meeting with Zelenskyy, said the Ukrainian president and state leaders engaged Friday in constructive discussions, focused on enhancing collaboration across humanitarian efforts, business and trade for the mutual benefit of Utah and Ukraine.

Having met with Zelenskyy twice now, Adams said, “He is the real deal.”

After his speech, Zelenskyy attended the signing of a sister-state agreement between Utah and Kyiv Oblast, the Ukrainian province surrounding the capital city of Kyiv. Cox and Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova signed the memorandum of understanding. The eight-page document recognizes the economic relationship between the Kyiv area and Utah, including their shared interests and values in education, arts and culture, humanitarian assistance, environmental quality, religious freedom, agriculture, energy diversification, health care, biotechnology, science and technology.

“By formalizing our relationship with this key region, we commit to working together in this time of war and we hope that soon we will be working together in a time of peace,” Cox said.

Plea for continued support

In his speech, the Ukrainian leader thanked Americans and Utahns for their support and reiterated what he has said many times, that Ukraine does not ask the United States and other countries to fight for it.

“We do not ask for your boots on the ground,” he said.

Ukraine only seeks air defense systems for its cities, weapons for men and women on the front line and support in protecting normal life and rebuilding, he said.

“This is all we need to withstand and drive Russia from our land. And to send a strong signal to all other potential aggressors, which are watching,” Zelenskyy said. “To ensure the true victory of good, your voice — each governor, each community leader, each heart — is crucial.”

In introducing Zelenskyy, Cox also talked about good and evil. He said it’s sometimes hard to tell who the good guys are and who the bad guys are in world conflicts.

“This is not one of those times,” the governor said, receiving the first of what would be several resounding standing ovations in the room for Cox and Zelenskyy.

Cox said Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska, both of whom he said he spent time with Thursday, are good people thrown into an impossible task. Lesser people, he said, would have fled the country.

“This man and this woman did not do that,” Cox said. “They stood up to evil and their country rallied around them.”

NATO or no NATO

Zelenskyy visited heavily Republican Utah at a time when the GOP is divided nationally and locally about sending more money to Ukraine and whether the war-torn country should be admitted to NATO. He made his case for both earlier in the week at the NATO summit, in Congress and in a meeting with President Joe Biden.

“I think it’s important to distinguish between support for Ukraine and support for the dollars that are going to Ukraine. As I said earlier, I think it’s really important that we make sure that everything we’re sending to Ukraine is getting spent in the right ways,” Cox told reporters.

The governor said it’s appropriate for people to ask questions and get the right answers, “and that we do support Ukraine.” He said he was told the party will continue to rally around and that most Republicans support Ukraine.

Adams said everyone wants fiscal responsibility. “But we also believe in standing for good against evil.”

Utah GOP Sen. Mike Lee has opposed sending additional dollars to Ukraine without accountability. His spokesperson last year said the senator doesn’t consider the “proxy war to be in America’s best interests,” which is why he is opposed to simply authorizing more funding. Also, he said other allies are not paying their fair share.

In a speech on the Senate floor this week, Lee said the U.S. can’t afford to consider admitting Ukraine to NATO nor should it make overtures about future membership. He also raised the possibility that the U.S. could be dragged into a war if Ukraine were to join the organization. NATO, he said, is supposed to protect its members and prevent war, not bring them closer to it.

“The U.S. cannot support the massive levels of support for Ukraine and any discussion of Ukraine’s membership cannot be on the table,” he said, later adding, “If Ukraine is in, the U.S. should be out.”

Asked about Lee’s comments, Cox told reporters that the NATO question is important and should be discussed.

“We want peace. That’s what President Zelenskyy wants. We had that conversation but the NATO discussion is a big one. I don’t think that’s a very clear and easy answer about who is in NATO and who isn’t. But that will be part of peace discussions if and when Vladimir Putin decides that he’s going to stop killing innocent Ukrainians,” the governor said.

In his speech, Zelenskyy listed the vast amount of buildings and structures destroyed in his country since Russia invaded in February 2022 — nearly 160,000 civilian objects, 130,000 homes, 3,000 schools, 700 medical facilities and 170 churches.

Zelenskyy urged elected leaders and others in the audience to visit Ukraine “to see our people, our struggle.”

“To ensure the true victory of good, your voice — each governor, each community leader, each heart — is crucial,” he said. “I hope that together, Ukrainians and Americans will prevail. God bless America, and Slava Ukraini!” (Glory to Ukraine)

Utah ties to Ukraine

Utah already has strong humanitarian and business ties to Ukraine.

According to World Trade Center Utah, the mission of last year’s Utah delegation to the country was to foster a deeper relationship with Ukraine during its darkest time of need; provide ground support in partnership with August Mission, a Utah-based recovery and resettlement nongovernmental organization; and explore business opportunities in aerospace and defense, technology and agricultural sectors.

Aaron Starks, president of 47G, a nonprofit that partners with government, private industry and academia to make Utah the leading ecosystem for aerospace, defense and cyber companies, was on that trip. As a result, 47G has signed two memorandums of understanding designating each as a priority partner. Ukraine, he said, needs defense and security systems to end the war.

Utah companies have done $100M in defense business with Ukraine since war broke out, he said.

On Friday, 47G was among Utah businesses, charitable organizations and others that met with the Ukrainian first lady and government officials. They had informal and individual discussions with Ukrainian leaders.

“Everyone was kind of able to network on their terms,” Starks said. “It’s another meaningful touchpoint with a partner that we have a meaningful relationship with.”