Spring 2024 Ukraine Action Summit
Ukraine Action Summit delegates on the steps of the US Capitol
On April 12th - 16th American Coalition for Ukraine brought together over 500 delegates from 47 states to Washington, DC for a collective and focused advocacy effort. The fourth Ukraine Action Summit provided a platform for us to advocate in one voice for Congress to approve urgently needed aid to Ukraine. Arizona delegation held ten Congressional meetings with our Representatives' and Senators' offices plus one senate office from New Mexico. The Summit also featured student participation, keynote speakers, focused panels, advocacy training and networking opportunities. Arizona Congressmen/women had an opportunity to hear personal testimonies from our delegates, including Ukraine's Foreign Legion defender Matthew Sampson and a quadruple amputee Mike St. Onge. Both men, former US Marines, shared their experiences from the front lines and work with amputees in Ukraine, respectively, highlighting the urgency for approving the aid package. This time we were also joined by Brooke Manning, an American living in Kyiv part-time while working for the Kyiv Independent as a Community Manager. Brooke shared her experience living in constant threat of drone attacks and the effects of air defense munition shortage.
Things were changing rapidly on Capitol Hill the week of the Summit but Ukraine supplemental aid bill finally passed the House and Senate on April 23rd. The aid package passed in two parts: HR 8035, that provides $61B in aid to Ukraine and HR 8038, which contains critical provisions to strengthen sanctions and allow for the seizure and transfer of the $300B of frozen Russian assets. A large portion of $61B allocation is projected to stay in the US and stimulate the economy. On behalf of Cactus and Tryzub advocacy team, we want to say THANK YOU to all the supporters who took part in nationwide #Call4Ukraine campaign - our collective advocacy effort and persistence made a difference.
