Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to actress Mila Kunis and her actor husband, Ashton Kutcher, for their efforts to help the people there amid its war with Russia.
Kunis, a native of Ukraine who moved to the United States when she was a child, and Kutcher have set up a GoFundMe campaign that has so far earned nearly $35 million toward refugee and humanitarian aid efforts. The couple also pledged $3 million of their own money.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, on Sunday (March 20), President thanked the couple for their support, saying they were “among the first to respond to our grief. They have already raised $35 million & are sending it to flexport & Airbnb to help refugees. Grateful for their support. Impressed by their determination. They inspire the world. #StandWithUkraine”
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“Today, I am a proud Ukrainian,” the actress wrote on the GoFundMe page. “While my family came to the United States in 1991, I was born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine in 1983. Ukrainians are proud and brave people who deserve our help in their time of need. This unjust attack on Ukraine and humanity at large is devastating and the Ukrainian people need our support. … While we are witnessing the bravery of Ukrainians, we are also bearing witness to the unimaginable burden of those who have chosen safety. Countless amounts of people have left everything they know and love behind to seek refuge. With nothing but what they could carry, these Ukrainian refugees are in need of housing and supplies right away.”
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She also addressed the situation in her homeland in an interview with journalist Maria Shriver, saying she was “awestricken” by the people there who are fighting back, including “with their own makeshift weapons.” “It is inspiring,” she added, expressing her admiring for Zelenskyy as well. She and Kutcher met with him before the COVID-19 pandemic began, having a “beautiful conversation” with the president in which he said he wanted to “empower the people” and the country.
