TV presenter Holly Willoughby was in tears after speaking to a courageous student who flew to Ukraine from the UK.
The This Morning presenter, 41, spoke to the brave 19-year-old Ukrainian politics student Valentina Butenko in the latest episode of her podcast.
Holly spoke to Valentina, who, up until a few weeks ago, was living and studying in the UK until she decided to go to Ukraine to “stand with her people”.
During the seventh episode of Holly’s By The Light of the Moon podcast, Valentina shared that she decided to leave her mum in the UK and fly back to Kyiv after the war broke out.
Valentina told Holly: “The moment this war started, I think my future became very simple for me.
“My future is about defending my country and rebuilding my country.”
The 19-year-old added: “My identity and what is valuable to me is tied in with these people and this land and everything I do going forward, it has to be about rebuilding and re-growing Ukraine – because this is where my identity is.
“I don’t see any other path, or I don’t want to see any other path.”
Throughout the podcast, Valentina opened up about how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused her to have no sleep and how with every loud noise, she fears it’s a bomb.
(Image: via REUTERS)
Mum-of-three Holly couldn’t help but picture herself in Valentina’s mum’s shoes and asked her how it impacted her family.
The presenter said: “I can’t stop thinking about your poor mum. Firstly, she must be so proud of you – what an incredible woman you are.
“But she must just want you to come back to London where you’re safe. Does your mum not want you back and safe?”
(Image: ITV)
Valentina replied: “You know, there always comes this conflict in these times of crisis between what you personally crave and what you want for the ones you love.
“Of course, I miss my mum, of course she wants me to be safe.
“I really deeply miss my mum, but she is also a person who taught me strength and bravery.”
Brave Valentina rounded off her inspiring chat by raising that Ukrainian people can rebuild their country together again after the horrors of the invasion.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
