Volodymyr Zelenskyy Thanks Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher for Their ‘Determination’ in Ukraine Support
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is thanking Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher for helping raise donations for the country amid the ongoing attack on Ukraine by Russia.
The Bad Moms actress, 38, and husband Kutcher, 44, launched a campaign to fundraise and support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, where Kunis was born, surpassing their $30 million goal late last week.
On Twitter Sunday, Zelenskyy acknowledged the couple for their work, writing, “.@aplusk & Mila Kunis were among the first to respond to our grief. They have already raised $35 million & are sending it to @flexport & @Airbnb to help [Ukrainian] refugees.”
“Grateful for their support. Impressed by their determination,” he added alongside a photo of a video chat he had with Kunis and Kutcher on a laptop. “They inspire the world. #StandWithUkraine.”
Todd Williamson/BBMA2016/Getty Images for dcp; Ukrainian Presidency/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
In a message about reaching their goal on Thursday, Kutcher and Kunis wrote on his Instagram page, “We are overwhelmed with gratitude for your support. 2 weeks ago we asked you to join us and more than 65,000 of you stepped up and donated what you could. Now, with your help we have reached our $30 million goal.”
“While this is far from a solution for the problem,” they continued, “our collective effort will provide a softer landing for so many people as they forge ahead into their future of uncertainty. Our work is not done. We will do everything we can to ensure that the outpouring of love that came as a part of this campaign finds maximum impact with those in need. Funds have already and will continue to be delivered to Flexport.org and Airbnb.org so they can act now.”
RELATED: Ways to Help the People of Ukraine as Russia Launches War
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They added, “As funding continues to come in we will treat every dollar as if it were being donated from our pocket, with respect and honor for the work that went into earning it, the intent of love through which it was given, and the desire for it so be maximized for positive outcomes for others.”
Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a large-scale invasion on Feb. 24 — the first major land conflict in Europe in decades. Details of the fighting change by the day, but hundreds of civilians have already been reported dead or wounded, including children. Millions of Ukrainians have also fled, the United Nations says.
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In an interview with Maria Shriver last week, Kunis, who moved to the U.S. from Ukraine as a child in 1991, said she felt like “part of my heart just got ripped out” upon seeing news of the war.
The actress added, “I don’t think that we need to consider the people of Russia an enemy. I do really want to emphasize that. I don’t think that that’s being said enough in the press. I think that there’s now, ‘If you’re not with us, you’re against us’ mentality. I don’t want people to conflate the two problems that are happening. I don’t think it’s the people of Russia. I don’t want there to be a thing of ‘all Russians are horrible human beings.’ I don’t want that to be the rhetoric.”
“I do encourage people to look at it from the perspective of, ‘It’s the people in power, not the people themselves,’ ” she said.
The Russian attack on Ukraine is an evolving story, with information changing quickly. Follow PEOPLE’s complete coverage of the war here, including stories from citizens on the ground and ways to help.
