A significant meeting took place in Berlin between Odessa's Deputy Mayor Pavlo Vugelman and Roman Shvarzman, the head of the regional association of Jewish former ghetto prisoners, with the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The Odessa delegation is in Germany as part of an official visit commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. The number of those who have lived through the horrors of National Socialism continues to dwindle.

Roman Markovich Shvarzman, an Odessa resident who survived the ghetto, shared his survival story during World War II, discussing the Soviet regime's treatment of Jews and the realities of life in contemporary Ukraine.

“I am truly grateful to you and the German Bundestag for the opportunity to share my story and honor the memory of those we lost. Your support for Ukraine and Odessa is incredibly important to me,” said Roman Shvarzman.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the current situation in Odessa, the importance of preserving memory, and Ukraine's needs, particularly in protecting civilians and infrastructure, as well as liberating its territories.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier assured support for Ukraine from Germany in this horrific war, emphasizing that democracy needs protection today.