Maksim Chmerkovskiy Has Emotional Reunion With His Wife ‘DWTS’ Star Peta Murgatroyd After Escaping Ukraine

After a dramatic escape from his home country of Ukraine, Maksim Chmerkovskiy arrived in Los Angeles on Wednesday night, and he immediately had an emotional reunion with his wife Peta Murgatroyd. The couple met when they were both professional dancers on “Dancing With The Stars.”

Chmerkovskiy Reunites With Murgatroyd

Backstory: Former ‘DWTS’ Pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy Sends Chilling Video From Ukraine – ‘I’m Very Scared’

A visibly emotional Chmerkovskiy told Entertainment Tonight at the Los Angeles Airport, “I just don’t want to resent peace somewhere else because of what I just saw, that’s the reality. I don’t know really what to say right this second.”

Chmerkovskiy, 42, even shared an emotional hug with Entertainment Tonight correspondent Craig Frazier at the airport. 

Chmerkovskiy Addresses Ukraine Situation

Once he had composed himself, Chmerkovskiy addressed reporters about the situation in Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion.

“The reason why Ukraine is standing right now is because of the Ukrainian people,” Chmerkovskiy explained. “And the fact that the entire world is helping.”

“Huge shout out to Poland, huge shout out to neighboring countries,” he added. “The way I was treated through the whole process of leaving into Poland, I’ve just got to bow down to the Polish people.”

As for whether or not the rest of the world should take action, Chmerkovskiy said, “If we don’t get involved, this thing is going to go everywhere else. I think that in 2022, following this action, we have to completely rethink the way we do things as a planet. There can never again be one person who can do something like this ever again. We have to have checks and balances globally, not just one country at a time.”

Related: Former ‘DWTS’ Pro Maks Chmerkovskiy Flees Ukraine On ‘Sweaty And Claustrophobic’ Train – Makes It To Poland

Chmerkovskiy Born In Ukraine – Moved To U.S. As A Teen

Chmerkovskiy was born in Ukraine in 1980, and he moved to the United States with his family in 1994 at the age of 14. He became a household name on “Dancing With The Stars,” which he appeared on from 2007 until 2017, and he even met his wife on the series. 

He had been in Ukraine when Russia invaded because he was serving as a judge on the country’s series “World of Dance.” He began documenting his experience being stuck there amidst the Russian invasion at the end of last month. 

“I will never be the same,” he said in one of his Instagram videos. “This is stressful and I’m getting old feelings back, like I’ve done this before. This does feel like the way it was when and why we left in the ’90s. Like my old PTSD I’ve finally fixed is coming back.”

Thankfully, Chmerkovskiy was able to escape on a train to Poland earlier this week. We are thankful that he has been reunited with his wife and child, and that he is safe and sound in Los Angeles again.