Vice Studios confirmed that Sean Penn is in Ukraine making a documentary about Russia's invasion.
The Oscar winner attended a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, on Thursday, where he listened to government leaders speak about the conflict.
Penn last visited Ukraine in November 2021, where he began filming his documentary by meeting with Ukrainian military personnel. The Ukrainian Joint Forces Operation Press Service provided photos of Penn's November tour at the time.
Since landing in Ukraine this week, "Penn has visited the President's Office and chatted with deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, as well as local journalists and members of the Ukrainian military," according to Newsweek. The President's Office issued a statement through the Ukrainian embassy praising the Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker.
The statement's translation reads, "The filmmaker traveled to Kyiv specifically to document all of the present events in Ukraine and to inform the world the truth about Russia's invasion of our nation." 'Sean Penn is one of the current supporters of Ukraine in Ukraine. Our country owes him a debt of gratitude for his bravery and honesty."
"Sean Penn is displaying bravery that many others have lacked, including some Western politicians," the statement continues. The more individuals like that — true allies of Ukraine who support the battle for independence — the sooner we will be able to put an end to Russia's terrible invasion."
Over the years, Penn has been at the center of numerous anti-war and humanitarian efforts. The documentary "Citizen Penn" premiere on Discovery Plus in 2020,
recounted the actor’s efforts in setting up the non-profit organization Community Organized Relief Effort, also known as CORE, in response to the Haiti earthquakes of 2010. CORE also deployed teams to help with COVID-19 testing and vaccines across the country.
