What Happened:
The war in Ukraine has been going on for almost 2 years, and this has not been lost on Western leaders. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo were among those present to pay tribute to Ukraine’s soldiers.
“We have been fighting for this for 730 days of our lives. We will win on the best day of our lives,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at the event. The leaders took the opportunity to reiterate their support for Ukraine, stating they will “stand firmly” by them until the country is free. The event occurs amidst challenging times for Ukraine, as they are running low on ammunition, and the specific U.S. aid bill they are relying on is still pending in the House of Representatives.
The event was shadowed by doubts for the future of Europe even though Ukrainians remain hopeful. With the fall of Avdiivka, Europeans are worried about what may happen if aid does not come, and what the future of the continent will look like for all of them.
The Details:
The event was held to honor the sacrifice of the Ukrainian soldiers and commemorate Ukraine’s fight against the Russians. Although there are many estimates of the death toll for both sides, many believe that it is “higher than what the estimates say.”. This reality is not lost on the Ukrainians as they continue to confront Russia’s offensive. Zelensky, remaining hopeful, stated at the conference, “Victory awaits us.”
Earlier in the week, reports indicated that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was announced dead in the arctic prison where he had been sentenced. It is suspected that this might have been an assassination possibly linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but no confirmation has come from intelligence agencies. Ukraine also suffered the loss of Avdiivka to Russian forces, a setback they attribute largely to delayed U.S. aid.
Across Europe, gatherings were held to commemorate the invasion of Ukraine. More than 3000 people gathered at the Brandenburg Gate in Germany, waving Ukrainian flags and banners condemning the Russians. In the United Kingdom, interfaith prayers were held for those who had died in the last 2 years. Cities like Dublin, Belgrade, Bucharest, Istanbul, Paris, Helsinki, and Pamplona all held rallies to honor the Ukrainian soldiers and people.
What’s Next:
Ukraine is still receiving supplemental aid to bolster its ammunition supplies. Different European countries are offering help to enhance ammunition production, but all eyes remain on the aid bill stuck in the House of Representatives. Until that passes, Zelensky fears it will continue to prolong the time it will take to defeat the Russians.
President Biden has been critical of Republicans in recent weeks as the aid is held up. This has raised concerns among Ukrainians and Europeans about the threat Russia poses to NATO states if they fully capture Ukraine. This worry has prompted European countries to face the reality that they may need to be more self-reliant defensively.
