Representatives of the Supervisory Board of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center Natan Sharansky and Senator Joe Lieberman met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, the Memorial's press service said.

"We are grateful for such a warm and friendly welcome," Sharansky said at the memorial. "The United States plays a leading role in protecting and promoting human rights and democratic values. The fight against anti-Semitism, manifestations of xenophobia and intolerance for me is a marker of human development. We were pleased to inform the U.S. Secretary of State about the progress of the project of memorializing Holocaust victims from bullets, which is extremely important for Ukraine and all of Eastern Europe. Babyn Yar in Kyiv is the most famous symbol of this international tragedy," Head of the Supervisory Board Sharansky said.

He said the Secretary of State was told about "the unprecedented support of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which this year will allow the opening of the first stage of the memorial and museum complex in Babyn Yar."

"The memory of the victims of the Nazis was erased by the Soviet regime for half a century. But now, with Ukraine gaining true independence, we see real changes. The memorial will allow us to transmit memory and teach new generations, develop them and change the world for the better," he said.

In turn, the head of the U.S. State Department on Twitter, following the meeting, emphasized the global challenges of democracy, the plight of political prisoners around the world and the importance of combating anti-Semitism in all its forms, including the distortion and denial of the Holocaust.

"It was an honor to meet renowned Soviet dissident and human rights defender Natan Sharansky. The United States echoes his call for the release of political prisoners around the world, and we join him in condemning anti-Semitism in all its forms," Blinken said.