Actor Sean Penn has intentions to return to Ukraine after filming a documentary featuring President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
During an interview with Hollywood Authentic, Penn explained, “Look, my intention is to go back into Ukraine. But I’m not an idiot, I am not certain what I can offer.”
Penn suggested the only possible reason for him staying in Ukraine “longer last time would’ve been for me to be holding a rifle, probably without body armour, because as a foreigner, you would want to give that body armour to one of the civilian fighters who doesn’t have it or to a fighter with more skills than I have, or to a younger man or woman who could fight for longer or whatever.”
He added, “So, where I am in life is short of doing that, but if you’ve been in Ukraine [fighting] has to cross your mind.”
Penn continued, “And you kind of think what century is this? Because I was at the gas station in Brentwood the other day and I’m now thinking about taking up arms against Russia? What the f**k is going on?”
Zelenskyy celebrated Penn’s visit to Ukraine.
“The director specially came to Kyiv to record all the events that are currently happening in Ukraine and to tell the world the truth about Russia’s invasion of our country,” Zelenskyy said in a statement.
The statement continues, “Sean Penn is among those who support Ukraine in Ukraine today. Our country is grateful to him for such a show of courage and honesty.”
In March, Penn tweeted he was in Ukraine with the CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) team, “Strategizing with local governance and NGO’s to scale up our in-country programs.”
I was in Lviv, Ukraine today with CORE team, strategizing with local governance & NGO’s to scale up our in-country programs. Good meeting with Gov. Maksym Kozytskyy. To learn more go to https://t.co/snKeUz99Fm or text “CORE” to 24365 to donate. pic.twitter.com/ASHavYHlvy
— Sean Penn (@SeanPenn) March 28, 2022
During the interview, Penn discussed meeting Zelenskyy before the Russian invasion.
“He was very charming, and very bright and very charismatic, and I immediately liked him a lot,” Penn said.
The actor added, “So, seeing Zelenskyy the day before invasion, I would say, it serves to reason that he would not have felt fully tested.”
Seeing him the next day, Penn continued, “It struck me that I was now looking at a guy who knew that he had to rise to the ultimate level of human courage and leadership. I think he found out that he was born to do that.”
He went on to praise Zelenskyy for uniting the people of Ukraine.
“They are together like never before and, as I said, that’s the historical legacy of Zelenskyy, because he’s the man who did it,” Penn said.
He added, “They’ll never be able to take it away from him that he unified the Ukrainians to fight for their country.”
