Israel and Ukraine recently signed a historic memorandum in Kyiv regarding archival sharing and cooperation between the two countries. Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky, and Anatolii Khromov, head of the Ukrainian State Archives, signed the agreement in a special event.
2 View gallery
Anatolii Khromov and Michael Brodsky singing the memorendum
(Photo: Israeli Ebassy to Ukraine)
The agreement marks the first one signed with Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion of the country, which broke out in February 2022. Beyond its practical importance (access to documents proving Jewish heritage, assistance to historians shedding light on the Holocaust in Ukraine), the agreement has symbolic importance against the backdrop of differences of opinion on historical memory and the issue of Ukrainian antisemitism, a central issue in talks surrounding the war.
Efforts to complete the memorandum have been going on for five years. The document regulates cooperation between the two countries’ national archives and allows free access to documents from different periods for various authorities, researchers, and national from both countries.
There are many sensitive historical issues standing between Israel and Ukraine, with some related to the Holocaust and the issue of Ukrainians' involvement in the annihilation of Jews. Israel once proposed establishing a historical committee to address these issues but didn’t receive a response from the Ukrainian side.
Candidates trying to make Aliyah to Israel who have difficulty proving their Jewish ancestry may benefit from the agreement, as they’ll be able to access documents that will help them in doing so.
Israel's Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky, said, "The two peoples’ shared history is reflected in hundreds of thousands of archival documents. I hope the memorandum we signed today will help provide answers to many questions related to our common past."