President Takes Part in Iftar and Honors Warriors with State Awards

 

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, together with Ukrainian warriors of the Islamic faith, leaders of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, representatives of the Muslim community and clergy, heads of foreign diplomatic missions, Turkish Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat and Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, took part in an iftar – the evening meal observed during the holy month of Ramadan.

The Head of State noted that this year, the diplomatic efforts of Ukraine and its partners to advance a just and lasting peace and guarantee security for our country, have coincided with Ramadan. A successful meeting between Ukrainian and U.S. diplomatic representatives was recently held in Saudi Arabia.

"All of us in Ukraine hope that this international effort will succeed and that a ceasefire in the skies, at sea, and on the front lines will help bring peace. We are grateful to all our partners who support us. May the prayers of our people and our friends for peace and for Ukraine help fulfill the efforts of the United States, Europe, and the entire world to bring about peace and security – efforts of our warriors and all our citizens," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The President emphasized that Russia may prolong the war, so the world must be prepared to respond. For Ukraine, it is now crucial that the unity which helped our people endure is preserved and continues to strengthen Ukraine in times of diplomacy.

The Head of State also emphasized that Ukraine remembers all those in captivity, in temporarily occupied territories, and our Ukrainian Crimea.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy honored Ukrainian Muslim defenders with state awards.

In particular, he presented the Order of the Golden Star of the Hero of Ukraine to the family of fallen soldier Diliaver Seitkhaliliyev. Since March 2024, he had been carrying out combat missions as part of an assault unit in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions. He took part in eliminating Russian occupiers on the outskirts of Toretsk. In January of this year, his unit came under heavy shelling near Pokrovsk. Diliaver Seitkhaliliyev saved four brothers-in-arms but sustained fatal injuries.

The President also presented warriors with the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, III class; the Orders “For Courage,” III class; the Orders of Danylo Halytskyi; and the Medals “For Military Service to Ukraine.”

The Head of State, together with the iftar participants, viewed an art exhibition dedicated to mosques and religious centers that were destroyed as a result of Russian aggression. The event took place in a building that had been damaged last September by a Russian drone attack.