WASHINGTON — Four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbor, hundreds of Ukraine’s supporters gathered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, transforming the heart of the US capital into a sea of blue and yellow.
What began in 2022 as a spontaneous outpouring of shock and solidarity has evolved into what participants on February 21 described as a “heartbreaking tradition.”
For the fourth consecutive year, Ukrainians and their supporters assembled in the US capital to mark the anniversary of the war with prayer, song, and defiant chants before marching toward the Russian ambassador’s residence.
Organizers said the aim was to demonstrate a united front in Washington and to urge continued US engagement in efforts to end the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.
For many Ukrainians in attendance, the rally was more than a symbolic gesture; it was a painful reminder of the destruction still unfolding at home.
One woman, who relocated her family to the United States during the war, said it remains vital to remind the American public of the daily hardships and existential threats Ukrainians endure.
The message repeated throughout the afternoon was clear: The war is about more than territory — it is about survival.
‘A Heartbreaking Tradition’
The rally was organized by leading Ukrainian-American organizations in cooperation with the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington.
Maryna Baydyuk, president of United Help Ukraine, which has held annual events to mark the invasion’s anniversary, argued that Ukraine must be viewed not as a supplicant but as a strategic partner.
“We need the support of Americans, but we also need the support of the US government and the current administration,” she told RFE/RL.
“We should see Ukraine not just as a country at war, a beggar. We should see Ukraine as an ally…standing in front of a massive Russian army, holding the line — not just for Ukraine, but for the rest of Europe and for the rest of the free world.”
Nova Ukraine, one of the largest US charities providing humanitarian aid to the country, also participated.
Its chief executive officer, Ambassador Erin McKee, told RFE/RL that its goal was to highlight urgent winter needs on the ground — ranging from basic humanitarian assistance to amplifying the voices of children, teachers, and doctors living through the conflict every day.
Since 2014, the organization says, it has disbursed approximately $150 million in assistance.
European Support on Display
European diplomats joined the rally, underlining what speakers described as essential transatlantic unity.
Jovita Neliupsiene, the EU’s ambassador to Washington, echoed the sentiment that the annual gathering has become a “heartbreaking tradition.”
“Sometimes we forget that this war is really happening,” she told RFE/RL, warning that Moscow continues to “weaponize the winter.”
She urged a sustained effort to “push back” and ensure international voices remain united in support of Kyiv.
Asked about the state of Western unity, Neliupsiene noted that while no one wants the war to persist, the challenge lies in achieving a “sustainable, long-lasting, and fair peace.”
“If we continue to support Ukraine, if we continue to put massive pressure on Russia via sanctions and other economic measures…and if the aggressor knows that aggression cannot just go away without accountability for war crimes, that would be the right message and the show of unity,” she said.
Her message to Russian President Vladimir Putin was direct: “This war can actually stop right now if Russia stops the aggression.”
Calls for Peace — And Accountability
Among the speakers was Pastor Mark Burns, a prominent spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump. Addressing the crowd, Burns questioned how Russia’s leadership could justify attacks on civilians and houses of worship while claiming to uphold Christian values.
“How can you be a Christian when you bomb little children who are just walking to church to worship the name of the Lord Jesus?” Burns asked.
“How can you be a Christian when you allow Russian soldiers to rape women? How can you be a Christian when you bomb more than 700 churches in Ukraine?.… That’s not the kind of Christianity that I believe in.”
Speaking to RFE/RL, Burns said he had visited Ukraine and shared his firsthand accounts of the atrocities he witnessed — including in Bucha — with Trump.
“The last conversation I had with the [US] president was a couple of days ago, and he said to me, ‘We are very, very close to having a cease-fire,'” Burns said.
He rejected suggestions that Trump favors Moscow, calling such claims false, and asserted that the president is working toward a resolution.
“President Trump wants peace,” Burns said. “He knows you cannot trust Russia.”
Denys Sienik, deputy chief of mission at the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, said Kyiv seeks a “credible, lasting, and just” peace backed by clear security guarantees.
“That’s all Ukrainians want,” he told RFE/RL, while accusing Russia of continuing to wage a campaign of terror against civilians.
Sienik stated that Ukraine remains committed to negotiations and expressed gratitude to the Trump administration and other partners involved in peace efforts. However, he stressed the necessity of strengthening Ukraine’s defenses to save lives while talks proceed.
‘Washington Should Not Look Away’
Some demonstrators expressed fears that American attention is waning as the war enters its fifth year. Others argued that Ukraine’s fate has implications reaching far beyond its borders.
Sienik pointed to the size and diversity of the crowd as evidence of enduring support in the United States. “I’m really proud to see not only Ukrainians, but Americans, with us today, as well as Europeans and nationals from other countries,” he said. “Every word matters.”
As the sun set over the National Mall, thousands began their march from the Lincoln Memorial toward the Russian ambassador’s residence — a visible show of unity tinged with grief.
Four years ago, few in this crowd imagined they would be standing there again, pleading for the world’s attention.
