Actor Ben Stiller met with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday as a Goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
“You’re my hero,” Stiller told Zelenskyy during the meeting. Stiller met with survivors of the occupation in Irpin and toured settlements in the Kyiv region to mark World Refugee Day. (RELATED: Biden Says He Has No Idea Where Missing Americans Are In Ukraine)
“It’s one thing to see this destruction on TV or on social networks. Another thing is to see it all with your own eyes. That’s a lot more shocking,” Stiller said.
Stiller called the meeting an “honour.”
It was an honour to meet President @ZelenskyyUa on #WorldRefugeeDay as part of my visit with UNHCR @Refugees to stand in solidarity with people forced to flee in Ukraine and worldwide, and bring more attention to the humanitarian situation. @Refugees #WithRefugees pic.twitter.com/zpNpva233j
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) June 20, 2022
“War and violence are devastating people all over the world. Nobody chooses to flee their home. Seeking safety is a right. And it needs to be upheld for every person,” Stiller said in a statement for UNHCR.
“Protecting people forced to flee is a collective global responsibility. We have to remember this could happen to anyone, anywhere,” his statement continued.
In a press release, UNHCR said, “the actor, director, and long-term Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, is calling for urgent global support and funding, not only for those affected by the Ukraine crisis, but for every one of the 100 million around the world who have been forced to flee.”
President Joe Biden announced $1.2 billion in aid to Ukraine last Wednesday.
“We also remain committed to supporting the Ukrainian people whose lives have been ripped apart by this war,” Biden said in a statement.