Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was chosen by Democratic nominee Kamala Harris as her running mate in the 2024 US Presidential election. Walz is the current Governor of Minnesota, an important state-to-win for both parties and is known for his long-standing support for Ukraine. Here’s all you need-to-know about the Minnesota Governor and his ties to Ukraine.
Before becoming the Minnesota Governor in 2019, Walz was a US Congressman for 12 years. While in Congress, he was a member of the Armed Services Committee as well as the Committee on Veterans Affairs. Prior to entering politics, Walz served in the Army National Guard and was a highschool teacher and football coach.
Divesting from Russia
Following Russia's full scale invasion, Walz, as governor, signed a law divesting Minnesota state investments from Russia. The executive order was signed on March 1st, 2022, less than one week after Russia launched its war on Ukraine. The law required state agencies to terminate existing contracts with Russian and Belarussian companies and prevented any future contracts that might support their war efforts.
“I encourage other individuals, companies and organizations to stand with their Ukrainian neighbors and end support to Russian entities,” Walz said at the time. Minnesota is home to weapons manufacturers such as BAE systems, which have helped supply arms to Ukraine for defense.
Phone call with Zelenskyy
On April 4th, 2023 Walz, along with the US National Governors Association, met on a phone call with President Zelenskyy. “Minnesota stands with Ukraine,” said Governor Walz following the call. “It was an honor to hear from President Zelenskyy firsthand and offer him our unwavering support. Minnesota is a proud home to many Ukrainian families, and we will continue to welcome and support Ukrainian refugees in our state.”
The metro area surrounding Minneapolis and Saint-Paul, Minnesota, is the United States top area for Ukrainian refugee sponsorships according to Welcome.US, a program that helps connect refugees with local sponsors and resources within the US.
Minnesota’s deep ties with Ukraine
Minnesota and Ukraine share a history dating back almost a century; the state has one of the largest Ukrainian communities in the United States outside of New York City. Since World War 1, Ukrainians have moved to Minnesota, and over time a large Ukrainian diaspora has found its home in the northern state. “If you think about the way the Ukrainian community here formed, it’s all because of wars,” Roman Lavriv, a Ukrainian now living there, told the Minnesota Post.
Walz has made efforts to further existing ties between Minnesota and Ukraine. In February 2024 he met with the Ukrainian Ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, to create a formal partnership between his state and Chernihiv Oblast. The partnership will support public, private and educational sectors in the Oblast, which has been one of the most affected regions of Ukraine as a result of Russia’s invasion.
Minnesota is home to other charitable foundations that are helping Ukraine such as Prosthetics for Ukrainians (Protez Foundation) which has helped over 70 Ukrainian soldiers receive life-changing prosthetics. It is also the base of the Ukrainian American Community Center which organized marches to bring awareness to Russia’s aggression at the onset of the full scale invasion.
In the suburbs of Minneapolis, the capital of Minnesota, there are multiple restaurants where one can find cabbage rolls and giant Ukrainian meatballs or even attend a Ukrainian mass at the St. Constantine Ukrainian Catholic Church or St. George’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
More than most states, Minnesota and its governor share deep ties with Ukraine and its people. Because of this connection the war has remained in the forefront of the minds of Minnesotans and presumably their Governor. Should a Kamala Harris and Tim Walz ticket win, many hope that Walz will carry his state's fervent Ukrainian support with him to the White House.
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