U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) announced today she has invited local Ukrainian American leader and former Randolph Township Mayor Roman Hirniak to be her virtual guest for this year’s State of the Union address.

“As we stand with the Ukrainian people against the unprovoked and unjustified attack by Vladimir Putin, I could think of no better guest tonight than a member of the Ukrainian American community here in NJ-11,” said Sherrill. “When I sat down with Mr. Hirniak and leaders at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey in Hanover Township last month, they provided invaluable insight and stood united in their resolve that democracy and sovereignty must continue to flourish in Ukraine. This is an issue that touches all of us deeply. I am proud to see the unity of so many nations across the globe against the actions of Putin, and especially in putting into place the necessary sanctions that so many of us called for previously. I am grateful to Mr. Hirniak for joining me virtually tonight for the State of the Union.”

“Today, more than at any time since its declaration of independence in 1991, our brothers and sisters in Ukraine are depending on the free world to help with defending our ancestral homeland and staving-off Russia absorbing its peaceful and democratic neighbor. Members of the diaspora, like myself, continue to bring attention to this crisis and the resultant loss of innocent civilian lives, who simply dreamed of shedding the Soviet yoke and joining the West. Here in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, we’re very fortunate to have a strong ally in this battle for Ukraine’s sovereignty and are extremely grateful for Congresswoman Sherrill’s strong advocacy and leadership on the Hill,” said Roman Hirniak, a Republican.

Sherrill is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and served in the Navy for almost 10 years as a helicopter pilot and Russian policy officer. As a Russian policy officer, she worked on the implementation of our nuclear treaty obligations and oversaw the relationship between the US Navy and Russian Federation Navy. She now serves on the House Armed Services Committee, where she serves as the Vice Chair of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee. Rep. Sherrill traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine at the end of January on a congressional trip led by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. There she met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as well as other top officials to discuss their preparedness and needs to defend themselves against a Russian invasion.