Ben Stiller joined a growing number of celebrities who have visited Ukraine to offer support for the country during the conflict with Russia on Monday. In a tweet, the country’s military government congratulated Stiller and other celebrities including Angelina Jolie, Sean Penn, and Liev Schreiber for “visiting us despite the threat.”
On World Refugee Day, Stiller, a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations’ refugee agency, UNHCR, paid a visit to the country. In a video posted by UNHCR, he stated, “I’m seeing people who have been impacted by the violence and hearing how it has changed their life.” “War and violence are wreaking havoc on people around the world.”
He stated, “No one chooses to flee their home.” “Seeking safety is a right that must be protected for everyone.”
The actor met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his visit. He told Zelenskeyy, “You’re my hero.” “It’s incredibly inspiring what you’ve done and how you’ve rallied the country and the world.”
Stiller has been a supporter of the refugee agency since early 2016, and in July 2018, he was named a Goodwill Ambassador. According to UNHCR, he has met with refugees in Germany, Jordan, Guatemala, and Lebanon.
Angelina Jolie, likewise, has collaborated extensively with the agency and visited Ukraine earlier this year. According to Maksym Kozytskyy, governor of the Lviv Regional State Administration, she paid a surprise visit to Lviv and visited children who were injured in a Russian missile assault on the Kramatorsk railway station.
Jolie was “extremely affected” by the children’s stories, according to the governor. Jolie also paid a visit to a boarding school, where she met with children and promised to return, according to Kozytskyy.
Following Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine in February, actor Sean Penn was one of the first to come to Kyiv, the country’s capital. According to a statement from the president’s office, he was in Ukraine to record events.
According to a translation of the message released on Facebook, Penn wants to show the world what is happening during the invasion, and the president’s office said the country is appreciative of his courage and honesty.
The Oscar winner paid a visit to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office and attended a press conference with the head of state and vice prime minister.
I sat in the front row of the briefing, wearing sunglasses. In November 2021, he visited Ukraine and spoke with the troops in Priazov for his documentary.
Liev Schreiber, another actor, has done substantial work to support Ukraine, including a visit to a bomb bunker where he met Ukrainians.
Schreiber is a co-founder of BlueCheck Ukraine, a project that seeks for, vets, and funds non-governmental groups in Ukraine. He frequently posts information about the organization and the ongoing fighting in Ukraine on social media.
Following Zelenskyy’s address, he spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in May. “It’s overwhelming how tenacious the Ukrainian people are,” Schreiber, whose grandpa was of Ukrainian and Polish origin, told Reuters.