The situation around Ukraine remains very worrisome. One of the largest countries of our region is gripped by a serious internal crisis and stands on the brink of a dangerous international crisis. The Jewish population of Ukraine constitutes one of the largest Jewish communities in the world and includes hundreds of thousands of people. The Jewish involvement in the Ukrainian events, although not so numerous, more often than not becomes a theme for various political speculations ranging from the denial of any Anti-Semitic tendencies in the country to the overstated predictions of future pogroms and a genocide.
The hyped up nervousness about the danger of Anti-Semitism often becomes a justification for irresponsible calls for international intervention, the total evacuation of Jews, and most often serves to openly commercial interests of various organizations interested in fundraising. The Jewish community of Ukraine is quite divided, and we now see the Jewish participation in various political movements. Today there is no common political position of the Ukrainian Jewish public organizations in relation to the current events. At the same time almost all Jewish agencies are aware of the existing danger to the Jews of Ukraine, although they differ in evaluations of its possible sources.
The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) is the largest Jewish regional organization that unites over 20 countries of the former USSR, the Eastern Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. The Congress continues to closely monitor the events in Ukraine in contact with the Jewish community of Ukraine as well as with Jewish international organizations, primarily, with the World Jewish Congress (WJC). The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress along with its partners in the Jewish world upkeeps all the necessary contacts with the participants of the Ukrainian events. The Congress is ready to provide support to the Jews in Ukraine and is ready to act on a diplomatic level and on the level of giving direct aid to those in need.
I would like to stress that the EAJC is not a political organization and does not take part in the political struggle in any country of the region. Therefore, any one-sided political approach to the situation or any public support of any side of the Ukrainian conflict cannot be allowed.
Certain political statements of some Jewish leaders or ordinary Jews about the events in Ukraine that have been published in media sources including the web sites of the EAJC and the web sites of organizations affiliated with the EAJC reflect their personal opinions on the situation that may or may not correspond with the official position of the EAJC, the WJC and the organized part of the Jewish Diaspora.
The EAJC shares the common anguish over the current events in Ukraine and would like to assure the Ukrainian Jews of its support. Dear friends, the Jewish world is with you!