President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned the “unprecedented violence” of the supporters of President Donald Trump who broke into the Capitol and clashed with the police to stop members of the U.S. Congress from counting the electoral votes to confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s win.
As a result of the clashes, four people have died and at least 50 have been arrested.
U.S. lawmakers were evacuated. Several hours later, after the building was secured, they returned and certified Biden’s election win in the Nov. 3 vote.
“We are inspired by the resilience of this world’s oldest and greatest democratic institution that within mere hours of this horrific attack held a historic session that affirmed the will of the American people,” Zelensky said on Twitter on Jan. 7.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has also reacted to the incident, urging Trump’s supporters to respect the rule of law and democratic procedures.
“The rule of law and democratic procedures need to be restored as soon as possible. This is important not only for the U.S., but for Ukraine and the entire democratic world,” Kuleba said on Twitter. “I’m confident American democracy will overcome this challenge.”
Vladyslav Rashkovan, deputy executive director of the Ukrainian branch of the International Monetary Fund, says that these recent protests only confirm how strong democracy is in the U.S.
“Strong institutions in the United States have once again proved that they are ready to resist any attack,” Rashkovan said.
Meanwhile, Rabbi Moshe Azman, Ukraine’s chief rabbi, prayed for peace in the U.S.
“I prayed tonight … against violence and so that nobody gets hurt in the course of the recent events,” he wrote on Facebook on Jan. 7. “God bless America.”
Following a formal affirmation of Biden’s victory, Trump said on Jan. 7 the decision “represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history” and agreed to leave the office on Jan. 20, “even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election,” Trump said.
Trump’s false claims about the election incited a mob to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6. In a video posted on Twitter and Facebook — and now deleted by the social media for carrying a “risk of violence” — Trump urged his supporters to march on the Capitol at a rally of his supporters in Washington, D.C. near the White House as Congress took up the Electoral College certification.
