Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky held a meeting with Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group and the Virgin Unite non-profit foundation, British entrepreneur who joined the team of ambassadors for the United24 fundraising platform.
According to the Office of the President’s website, Zelensky thanked the businessman for his powerful messages of support for Ukraine during the war.
“I am glad that you decided to become an Ambassador of United24. It is very important that new well-known and influential personalities join this platform. One of the main tasks is to keep the world’s attention on Russia’s war against Ukraine, which has been going on for over a year. In addition, there are very specific issues on which we can work together,” the head of state said.
During the meeting, Zelensky discussed with Branson the reconstruction of the state, in particular educational institutions, which need to be digitized and equipped and provided with bomb shelters.
The head of state also spoke about the needs of Ukraine in demining. In addition, he drew Branson’s attention to the problem of mass illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia and the need for pressure on this issue, in particular information, on the aggressor state.
In turn, Branson noted his admiration for the Ukrainian people.
“I look forward to using Virgin Unite’s global reach and networks to help support the work of United24 for the people of Ukraine,” he said.
Richard Branson has consistently supported Ukraine since 2014, advocating for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has met with well-known British businessman Richard Branson, the press service of the President’s Office reports.
“The visit of British businessman Richard Branson to Ukraine is another reminder that the world and famous people continue to support us. We talked about maintaining the world’s attention to the war in Ukraine, as well as the prospects for cooperation in post-war reconstruction. Richard, thank you for the kind words about our people and willingness to help!” – wrote Zelensky in the telegram channel.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky thanked businessman Richard Branson and representatives of world business for supporting the Ukrainian state.
“Grateful to Richard Branson and the global business community for supporting Ukraine. Innovative businessmen best understand the key vectors of human development. Hence, their call to unite and defend Ukraine’s sovereignty, in particular, by imposing sanctions on the aggressor, is crucial,” Zelensky said on Twitter last week.
A day earlier, Branson said that in Twitter that “for business leaders, this is the moment to come together and stand up for Ukraine’s sovereignty,” and also published a link to his article “My thoughts on Ukraine and Russia” in which he repeated this thesis. “For business leaders, this is the moment to come together and stand up for Ukraine’s sovereignty. Even if it comes at a price, all of us should send a clear message that unilateral aggression is always unacceptable and that the global business community will support the full range of sanctions against any nation that seeks to violate the sovereignty of another,” he said.
The businessman also said in the article that “Business leaders all over the world have been watching the build-up of Russian troops and equipment at the Ukrainian border with great concern” and that any war between Russia and Ukraine will have devastating and terrible consequences, primarily for the civilian population on both sides, and further isolates Russia.
“But never in recent years has there been a greater risk of an all-out war on European soil – a war that, like so many before it, does not serve a just or legitimate objective. (It is hard for any of us to hide our exasperation at this point. In 2022, what on earth is one country doing amassing tanks at another country’s borders?” Branson said.
