A close-up of Sean Penn in February 2026

Notable People

Sean Penn’s Deep Ties to Ukraine Go Beyond Skipping the Oscars

Award-winning actor Sean Penn skipped the Oscars in 2026, as he was in Ukraine. Here's his long history with aiding the country.

by Lauren Weiler

Published on March 17, 2026

3 min read

Sean Penn created a documentary about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2023

Sean Penn’s ties to Ukraine resurfaced following his absence at the Academy Awards in 2006. The day before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Penn met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian government announced in February of that year that Penn was in the country filming a documentary, shocking many. Eventually, the documentary became known as Superpower, and it spanned seven trips over nearly two years. The project started with how Zelenskyy rose from a comedic actor to president. However, as the conflict escalated, the documentary’s focus shifted.

“To make this film available for free has been my dream from the beginning, and I’m incredibly grateful to so many colleagues for their will and grace to make this happen,” Penn stated, according to Variety. “Ukraine’s fight for democracy is our fight, too.”

Penn previously spoke on Hannity about meeting Zelenskyy. “I met him face to face for the first time the day before the invasion, and then spent time with him, which we document in the film, during the invasion, on the day of the invasion,” the actor noted, according to Newsweek. “I don’t know that there’s a person on earth who could know that they were born for such a day that they could rise to it. In him, I saw something that I’ve never seen before in my lifetime.”

Sean Penn’s nonprofit disaster relief organization works to aid Ukrainian refugees

Sean Penn has leveraged his nonprofit organization, CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), to provide humanitarian support to Ukraine since the Russian invasion in 2022. The actor initially founded the organization in 2010 to respond to disasters, such as the Haiti earthquake. Since then, CORE has pivoted its efforts to Eastern Europe, delivering medical supplies, food, and emergency aid to Ukrainian cities.

Penn has also used CORE as a platform to raise international awareness. He’s partnered with local organizations to coordinate relief and highlight the human impact of the war in media interviews. His hands-on approach has included traveling to Ukraine multiple times, personally assessing needs, and advocating for global assistance.

In 2025, CORE partnered on a Pulse Ukraine x CORE benefit auction. The organization also partnered with the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy to launch economic training and grant initiatives.

The actor gave one of his Oscars to Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine in the past

Before 2026, Sean Penn had two Oscars — one for Milk and another for Mystic River. In 2022, he gifted one of his statues to Zelenskyy and Ukraine, according to USA Today.

Zelenskyy posted about Penn’s support on Instagram.

“The Walk of the Brave is a place thanks to which present and future generations of Ukrainians will remember those brave people who have stood with Ukraine from the very beginning,” the president captioned the post that included a carousel of photos of him with the actor. “Next to the names of many world leaders who helped Ukraine during the war, there is a name plaque of Sean Penn. “@seanpenn visited Ukraine on the first day of the Russian invasion to document the events in our country and tell the world the truth about Russian aggression. Such support for Ukraine and its people is extremely valuable.”

Sean Penn skipped the 2026 Academy Awards

In a highly unusual move for one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed actors, Sean Penn chose to forgo attending the 98th Academy Awards ceremony on March 15, 2026, even as he won Best Supporting Actor for his role in One Battle After Another. He did this to travel to Kyiv, Ukraine.

Rather than walk the Oscars red carpet, Penn took a train to Ukraine and met with Zelenskyy. Ukrainian officials publicly thanked him for his solidarity, with Zelenskyy calling him a “true friend of Ukraine.”