Outside the Liberal House in Brussels on 24 February, blue and yellow flags were seen everywhere to mark four years since Russia illegally invaded Ukraine.
High numbers gathered to commemorate Ukraine’s resolve and protest Russia’s continued weaponisation of winter. Liberals were proud to see all of those who gathered in Brussels to show support for the Ukrainian people’s resilience.
The protest kicked off with opening remarks from Ukraine's Ambassador to the EU, Vsevolod Chentsov:
“Russia has failed to break the spirit of the Ukrainian people and their resolve. We are committed to our European path, and we believe to join the European Union soon.”
Chants of solidarity echoed through the European quarter as demonstrators carried Ukrainian flags past the EU institutions. Liberals proudly stood in defence of Ukrainian sovereignty and the wider European project.
After the march reached the official representative office of Russia, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann MEP (FDP, DE) delivered a rallying call to the crowd of protesters:
“It is not only a war in Ukraine but in the whole of Europe. As Europeans we stand on your side and we say thank you to the people in Ukraine fighting for freedom and peace. Putin is not willing to stop the war, and we know what this fight means, since Ukraine will become part of the EU and we have to fight.”
Ukraine’s fight concerns us all: sovereignty and the rule of law are on the line. Accountability must be in place for aggressors who break the rules, and public mobilisation remains a clear signal that our societies will not normalise aggression.
The message from Brussels was clear: support for Ukraine is not fading.
