Ukrainian president can give speech from Auschwitz Museum

The Auschwitz Museum has announced that it is ready to allow Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, to deliver an address from the Memorial Site.

The Auschwitz Museum made the statement on Monday, referring to Israeli media reports, according to which the Yad Vashem Institute had turned down Ukraine's request to hold a rally that would be addressed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss Russia's invasion of his country, due to concerns that comparisons will be drawn between the Russian invasion and the Holocaust.

The museum wrote on Twitter that, owing to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the numerous war crimes and human tragedy, Volodymyr Zelensky could deliver an address from Auschwitz.

Referring to the museum's announcement, the Polish president's international policy advisor, Jakub Kumoch said: "The Ukrainian president will be given a platform to tell the world about Vladimir Putin's crimes," he said.

The Times of Israel, an internet daily, reported on Sunday evening that Ukraine had reportedly asked to hold a large event at Yad Vashem that would be addressed by the Ukrainian president to discuss Russia's invasion of his country.

His message was to be addressed to the Israeli people. Ukraine hoped that it could have an impact on Israeli public opinion and win its support.

According to the daily, which quoted Haaretz, Yad Vashem turned down the request due to concerns that comparisons would be drawn between the invasion of Ukraine and the Holocaust.

The Auschwitz Museum, which is located on the memorial site of the notorious World War Two Nazi German death camp in southern Poland, opened in 1947.