Lieutenant General Joseph Keith Kellogg, the US Special Envoy for the Russia-Ukraine War, met with Chabad emissaries serving as city rabbis throughout Ukraine in Kyiv on Wednesday.
The high-level gathering comes as US President Donald Trump indicates a potential shift in approach to the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe.
Under heavy security, General Kellogg sought a direct understanding of the Ukrainian Jewish community's current situation, its needs, concerns, and its resilience amidst the devastating war. The conflict has profoundly impacted Ukraine's Jewish population, considered one of the largest globally, with entire communities fractured and rebuilt, and hundreds of Jewish lives lost to bombardments and frontline combat.
The meeting, organized by the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU), which unites 169 Jewish communities in Ukrainian-held territory, brought together key religious leaders.
Among those present were Rabbi Meir Stambler, Chairman of the Jewish Communities of Ukraine; his deputy, Rabbi Rafael Rothman; Chief Rabbi Moshe Asman; Rabbi Yonatan Markovich, Chief Rabbi of Kyiv; and rabbis from cities including Sumy, Vinnytsia, Kropyvnytskyi, Poltava, and the former Luhansk.
Delegation meets at site of Babi Yar massacre
In a symbolic location, the discussions took place in a tent erected at Babi Yar, the notorious killing site where tens of thousands of Kyiv Jews were murdered by Nazi Germans. Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian-Jewish Presidential Office and a close aide to President Zelensky, also attended. The meeting began with Rabbi Rothman reciting Psalm 23 in English, a moment that reportedly moved General Kellogg to tears. Rabbi Asman then offered a blessing for peace and success.
Rabbi Stambler conveyed a message of enduring vitality to General Kellogg: "Our meeting with him in this place, which symbolizes the destruction of Kyiv's Jewry, is the best proof of the flourishing of Jewish community life in Ukraine.” He acknowledged the destruction of communities in over ten cities by the war, but emphasized the establishment of new ones and the expansion of existing ones due to refugee integration. Stambler also highlighted the "full support from the central government in Kyiv and from the authorities in all cities and regions.”
Addressing President Trump's role, Rabbi Stambler stated, "Trump, as the leader of the free world, has the right and the duty to do what everyone expects of him and bring peace to this region of the world.” He added, "It is written that before the Messiah comes, one will be able to distinguish between darkness and light, and we are happy that President Trump now knows, like everyone else, who is on the right and just side. We, of course, fully support President Zelensky in all his steps for Ukraine.
Particularly poignant remarks came from Rabbi Yechiel Lutinsky, a California native residing in Sumy, just 17 kilometers from the Russian border and mere kilometers from the front lines. Despite Sumy being under heavy shelling, Rabbi Lutinsky informed the US envoy that he chose to remain in Ukraine with his community, assisting elderly Holocaust survivors and families with infants. He praised Ukraine's significant progress since breaking from the Soviet Union in accommodating minorities, affirming full support for the nation.
Andriy Yermak informed General Kellogg that approximately 200 Chabad emissary families reside in Ukraine, with the country actively supporting them. "We are proud that they feel at home here," Yermak said, noting President Zelensky's pleasure that these rabbis have "bound their fate with the fate of the local population," which provides strength for their fight for justice. Yermak considers the rabbis "ambassadors of light" for Ukraine both domestically and internationally.
Despite narratives of the war being for 'de-Nazification,' the rabbis assured Kellogg that Ukrainian Jews feel secure, and isolated antisemitic incidents are swiftly and firmly addressed by authorities.
General Kellogg, on a multi-day mission for President Trump, stated his objective was to "feel" the country and relay his impressions. He stressed the importance of hearing the sentiments of Ukrainian Jews, who have been an integral part of the nation's fabric for centuries. "It is important for the President to hear your opinion," Kellogg remarked, adding that the meeting had given him a new, objective perspective on Ukraine, which would aid his report to President Trump. He spoke of leveraging the power granted to the US to better the region and the world.
Kyiv's Chief Rabbi Yonatan Markovich noted President Trump's pre-election visit to the tent of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, born in Ukraine, to pray for his victory. Rabbi Markovich emphasized the Rebbe's profound work, which began in Ukraine, continued in the US ("a kingdom of kindness" as the Rebbe termed it), and spread globally.