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Former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton visit Ukrainian church to 'show solidarity'

Both former presidents carried bouquets of sunflowers wrapped in blue and yellow ribbons.
On Friday, March 18, former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush visited Saints Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church in Chicago together to show their support.
On Friday, March 18, former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush visited Saints Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church in Chicago together to show their support.George W. Bush / Instagram

Two former presidents of the United States are showing unity amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

On Friday, March 18, former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush visited Saints Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church in Chicago together to show their support. The 43rd president of the United States shared a video on his Instagram account, alongside a series of photos with Clinton at the church.

Clinton and Bush both carried a bouquet of sunflowers, Ukraine’s national flower, which were wrapped in a blue and yellow ribbon and laid them down outside at the base of a statue on the premise. Both former presidents also sported blue and yellow ribbons on the lapels of their jackets.

“America stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine as they fight for their freedom and their future,” the caption read. 

“These flowers say ‘in solidarity,” a speaker in the video said. “They represent the struggle for freedom, which today are the colors of blue and yellow. Blue for sky. Yellow for wheat, as Ukraine is the bread basket of Europe and now Ukraine is the citadel of fighting for freedom.”

Clinton shared the video on his Twitter, writing, “America stands united with the people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom and against oppression.”

Former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush lay down sunflower bouquets at a Ukrainian church in Chicago.
Former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush lay down sunflower bouquets at a Ukrainian church in Chicago.George W. Bush / Instagram

Russia first launched an attack on Ukraine on Thursday, Feb. 24, beginning with missile and air strikes in addition to ground assaults. After the attacks begun, Clinton issued a statement shared to Twitter about “Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine.”

“I stand with President Biden, our allies, and freedom-loving people around the world in condemning Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine,” the statement read. “Putin’s war of choice has unraveled 30 years of diplomacy and put millions of innocent lives in grave danger, with the potential for mass civilian casualties in and huge displacements both within Ukraine’s borders and beyond."

"The world will hold Russia and Russia alone accountable, both economically and politically, for its brazen violation of international law. I stand with the people of Ukraine and am praying for their safety.”

Former president Bush shared his own statement last month, reading in part, “Russia’s attack on Ukraine constitutes the gravest security crisis on the European continent since World War II.”

“I join the international community in condemning Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine,” the statement continued. “The American government and people must stand in solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people as they seek freedom and the right to choose their own future. We cannot tolerate the authoritarian bullying and danger that Putin poses. Ukraine is our friend and democratic ally and deserves our full support during this most difficult time.”

Tensions have continued to rise over the weeks since Russia’s invasion on Ukraine began, causing a refugee crisis with more than 3 million Ukrainians having fled the country thus far.

On Wednesday, March 16, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to Congress asking for additional measures to aid in stopping the war in Ukraine, addressing not only lawmakers, but President Joe Biden as well. 

“This is a terror that Europe has not seen for 80 years and we are looking for a reply, for an answer, to this terror, from the whole world,” Zelenskyy told lawmakers, one day after Biden signed into law a spending package which included $13.6 billion in humanitarian and military aid. “Is this a lot to ask for? To create a no-fly zone over Ukraine to save people, is that too much to ask?”

Zelenskyy referenced two moments in American history during his appeal to Congress, saying, “Remember Pearl Harbor. The terrible morning of Dec. 7, 1941, when your sky was black from the planes attacking you. Just remember it.

“Remember September 11, a terrible day in 2001 when evil tried to turn your cities, independent territories, in battlefields, when innocent people were attacked, attacked from air, yes,” he added. “Just like nobody else expected it, you could not stop it. Our country experiences the same every day, right now, at this moment every night for three weeks now.”

The same day, Biden announced an additional $800 million in military support for Ukraine.