Ben Stilleris starstruck.
The comedy screen star has no doubt inspired many actors himself but on Monday he came face-to-face with a man who has recently become his “hero” — Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ukrainian Presidential Press Off/UPI/Shutterstock
Stiller spoke with the president about the needs of displaced Ukrainians, according to the government website. The United Nations agency is on the ground delivering emergency supplies, blankets and more.
“What you saw in Irpin is definitely dreadful. But it is even worse to just imagine what is happening in the settlements that are still under temporary occupation in the east,” Zelenskyy told Stiller.
“I’m here meeting people forced to flee their homes due to the war in Ukraine. People have shared stories about how the war has changed their lives — how they’ve lost everything and are deeply worried about their future,” Stiller said in a statement on Monday.
UNHCR/Andrew McConnell
The film star arrived in Poland on Saturday where he met refugees forced to flee Ukraine due to the Russian invasion.
It’s not the first time Stiller has brought attention to the refugee crisis. Over the years the actor has worked with the UNHCR on several projects and in his latest appearance, the Goodwill Ambassador called for urgent support for the 100 million displaced people around the world.
“Over the years I’ve had the chance to meet refugees and asylum seekers from around the world from Syria, Central America, Afghanistan, Iraq, and now Ukraine,” Stiller continued in the statement. “In so many parts of the world, war and violence devastate people and leave lasting traumatic effects. Wherever and whenever it happens, nobody chooses to flee their home.
“Seeking safety is a right and it needs to be upheld for every person. Protecting people forced to flee is a collective global responsibility. We have to remember this could happen to anyone, anywhere.”
Russia’sattack on Ukrainecontinues after their forces launched a large-scale invasion on Feb. 24 — the first major land conflict in Europe in decades.
With NATO forces massing in the region around Ukraine, various countries have also pledged aid or military support to the resistance. Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyycalled for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.
Putin insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia and he is acting in the best security interests of his country. Zelenskyy vowed not to bend.
“Nobody is going to break us, we’re strong, we’re Ukrainians,“he told the European Unionin a speech in the early days of the fighting, adding, “Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness.”
source: people.com
