Yushchenko congratulated Sean Penn on his latest Oscar and called him a “dear Cossack”
16 March 22:14
Today, March 16, 2026, American actor and director Sean Penn arrived in Kyiv on a Ukrzaliznytsia train. The Hollywood star deliberately skipped the 98th Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, where he won his third Oscar for his role in the film “One Battle After Another.” Instead of celebrating in California, Penn chose to make a personal trip to the Ukrainian capital to once again demonstrate his support for our people. Ukraine’s third President, Viktor Yushchenko, responded to this event with warm congratulations, calling him a longtime friend and a “dear Cossack,” reports "Komersant Ukrainian"
“My friend Sean, dear Cossack! I sincerely congratulate you on your new ‘Oscar’! This is a well-deserved recognition of your great talent, strength of character, and dedication to your craft. You are one of those artists whose work goes far beyond the movie screen—it touches the heart, makes people think, and inspires,” wrote Viktor Yushchenko.
The former president also added that he is sincerely proud of his friendship with Penn, as Ukrainians appreciate his “kind heart and sincere support for Ukraine.”
He also separately thanked the actor for his active stance on Ukraine.
As a reminder, Sean Penn is one of Ukraine’s most passionate ambassadors in Hollywood, and his friendship with the Yushchenko family has lasted for many years.
Zelenskyy met with Sean Penn
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with American actor Sean Penn. The head of state announced this on Telegram on Monday, March 16.
“Thanks to you, Sean, we know what a true friend of Ukraine is. You have been with Ukraine from the first day of the full-scale war. And today. And we know that you will continue to stand with our country and our people,” the head of state wrote.
Sean Penn had visited Ukraine even before the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. In November 2021, he arrived in Kyiv to work on a film about the Revolution of Dignity, and also visited the Donetsk region, where he met with Ukrainian military personnel.
After the start of the war, the actor actively supported Ukraine. In March 2022, he called on the organizers of the Oscars to give President Zelenskyy a platform and declared the need for a boycott if the Academy did not demonstrate support for Ukraine.
On November 11, 2022, the actor presented one of his Oscar statuettes to Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The award will remain in Ukraine until victory in the war.
