Ukrainian community criticizes idea of US-Russia hockey match

This was reported by the “Together for Ukraine” initiative, as reported by Ukrinform.

“31 Ukrainian-American and Ukrainian-Canadian organizations have signed a petition demanding that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman publicly reject any attempt to negotiate with Russia's Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), calling the idea an extremely offensive move that ignores Russia's ongoing war crimes in Ukraine,” the statement said.

It is indicated that during a telephone conversation last month between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, a series of hockey matches involving professional players from the United States and Russia was discussed. “Leaders of major Ukrainian organizations in the United States and Canada condemn the attempt to use sports as a political tool while Ukrainians continue to suffer and die from Russian aggression,” the statement emphasizes.

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The letter calls on the National Hockey League to reconsider its own principles. “Organizing any such events in partnership with the Russian government or sports officials would be ignoring and thus implicitly endorsing the crimes of Vladimir Putin,” the letter says.

Razom for Ukraine is an American non-profit organization founded in 2014 that implements numerous projects in support of Ukraine.