Ukraine Introduced a 'White List' of Celebrities

In contrast to the 'black list', which includes actors Gerard Depardieu and Steven Seagal, Ukraine has created a 'white list' of celebrities. It contains international cultural figures who have supported Ukraine in its current opposition to Russia.

Hollywood and Russian celebrities from the 'white list' are reported to now enjoy special privileges and full support for their visits and activities in Ukraine.

The list includes Tim Roth, George Clooney, Jared Leto, Milla Jovovich, Vera Farmiga, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with directors Wim Wenders and Pedro Almodóvar - thanks to their support for the country in its conflict with Russia, the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture has awarded the stars special honorary status.

The list was compiled by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine and currently includes around thirty individuals from the USA, Russia, and other countries.

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As for the known Russian figures, the 'white list includes' Andrey Makarevich, Liya Akhedzhakova, Valentin Gaft, Oleg Basilashvili, Eldar Ryazanov, Yuri Shevchuk, Andrey Myagkov, and others.

The press service of the Ministry of Culture, which announced the list, cites Minister of Culture Vyacheslav Kirilenko, who stated that individuals included in the list can expect 'maximum support for their activities on the territory of Ukraine'. The aim of the list is to express gratitude to those who stand for Ukraine in a difficult time for the country.

The specifics of this support are still to be developed.

All individuals on the list have spoken out in support of Ukraine in its confrontation with Russia, which began with the annexation of Crimea in March 2014 and continued with armed clashes with pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Jared Leto expressed his support for Ukraine in 2014 during his Oscar acceptance speech as Best Supporting Actor. He later visited Kyiv and performed there with his band. Schwarzenegger and Clooney had previously recorded video messages supporting the Ukrainians. Wenders and Almodóvar have been active in the international campaign for Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, who was arrested by Russian security forces last year on charges of terrorism.

All listed Russian celebrities have also gone against the 'system' and expressed support for Ukrainians, some at the cost of their reputation in the Russian Federation.

Earlier this month, Ukraine announced a black list of 117 Russian cultural figures who were banned from entering Ukraine. This list will soon expand to 600 individuals.