As Maryna Valentiuk and her friend Olena Karas looked on in Brussels, they, together with tens of thousands of protestors, stood in solidarity in the fight on behalf of Ukraine. On the first anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion, these two friends and fellow Ukrainians came together with world leaders in a special UN Security Council session to call for peace in their home country.

In the session, Western leaders and diplomats explored ways to reach a peaceful solution which respected Ukrainian borders and brought justice to the country. Russian ambassador Vasily Nebenzia stated that all lives lost in the conflict are priceless and declared that those in the chamber honor the memory of all victims involved on either side. This then created a divide as Nebenzia's comment implied that the conflict had started in 2014, a viewpoint many disregarded.

In a show of solidarity the United States declared its commitment to Ukraine through