Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the National Governors Association Summer Meeting in downtown Salt Lake City on Friday. His participation comes after spending time in Washington D.C. for the 2024 NATO Summit. Also in attendance at the meeting were multiple state governors, Texan actor Matthew McConaughey and hundreds of guests. Following an introduction from Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and a standing ovation from the crowd, Zelenskyy delivered a speech on stage to rally support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Gov. Cox, President Zelenskyy and multiple high-ranking Ukrainian officials later signed a Memorandum of Understanding between Utah and the province surrounding the capital of Ukraine.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pose for a photo after signing a Memorandum of Understanding between Utah and Kyiv Oblast during the National Governors Association Summer Meeting in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 12, 2024. (Photo by Marco Lozzi | The Daily Utah Chronicle)