Ukraine-Russia: Pa. Ukrainian community among thousands who rallied in DC for peace

Philadelphia Ukrainian community rallies for peace in Washington DC

Members of Philadelphia's Ukrainian commity rallied for peace in Washington DC.

JENKINTOWN, Pa. - Scores of people gathered in Washington DC Sunday in support of Ukraine and many of them from the Delaware Valley. Several FOX 29 spoke to have family and friends in Ukraine.

Buses filled with Ukrainian activists from the Philadelphia area pulled into the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center in Abington after a day of protest at the Lincoln Memorial amid rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

"I sure hope peace is possible," Natalie Firko commented. "You don’t know."

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Ukrainian religious and political leaders surrounded themselves with blue and yellows flags while leading a rally that included a march to the White House, urging federal officials to back legislation that will support family members and friends in their native homeland as they pray for peace, with Russia amassing more than 150,000 troops at Ukraine’s borders.

"What’ become very clear at this point, is that Ukrainians have no interest in any kind of alliance or relationship with Russia, particularly not a Russia that is dominated by a despot, which is what we have with Mr. Putin," explained Roman Petyk, who protested in Washington DC.

Many who demonstrated in Washington say they still have family members who live in Ukraine and worry for their safety.

They are urging President Biden to do everything possible to avoid war.

"I think the one thing we would ask the administration to do is not wait for an invasion to happen before it goes to sanctions, because, frankly, what’s happening right now in Ukraine is that the country is slowly being strangled with this basically a siege," Petyk added.