Zelenskyy meets American actor Sean Penn, thanks him for continuous support amid war

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday met with the famous Oscar-winning American actor, film director, screenwriter and producer Sean Penn. The latter arrived in Kyiv to shoot a documentary and paid a visit to the Ukrainian leader. "The President thanked the famous actor and film director for the attention and support he has provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the war," Ukraine's President's Office said in a release. Actor Sean Penn expressed the desire to visit the war-torn settlements in Ukraine and towns where Russian troops committed war crimes. 

"Sean, we are very interested in showing the world what happened around Kyiv. I know you were here in the early days of this war. Much has changed in Kyiv. But there are some cities around Kyiv that are very important to show to the world - to show what Russia has done," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement on Tuesday. 

Credit: President of Ukraine 

'To tell the world the truth about Russian aggression..'

Penn told Zelesnkyy that he aims to record the events in Ukraine "to tell the world the truth about Russian aggression". Zelenskyy and Sean Penn held a brief meeting at the Presidential palace. The CORE organization founded by Sean Penn held a charity to  support Ukraine's forces in their fight against the invading troops. Zelenskyy addressed the attendees and expressed gratitude for the American actor's support. 

Zelenskyy urged the attendees at actor Sean Penn's CORE Foundation's charity event to support and fight for the war-torn nation as Ukraine fights for the world. In a video message to the charity attendees, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to everyone “who has come here today for the sake of this help – help for Ukraine.”

“Mr Sean Penn, who has been personally in Kyiv and Ukraine since the first day of the war and has seen firsthand this evil, which is called Russian full-scale aggression”, he said, according to a statement from the President of Ukraine’s office. Just a week ago, Zelenskyy met with the Hollywood star Ben Stiller in Kyiv. Stiller arrived in Ukraine as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) goodwill ambassador. "You are my hero," Stiller said, as he greeted Zelenskyy.

"You see it on TV, you see it on social media, it is something else to actually see it and feel it and then talk to people," Stiller told Zelenskyy.