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Oksana Markarova discusses Ukraine's war against Russia with SIS senior professorial lecturer Garret Martin. (Jeffrey Watts/AU)

By Jonathan Heeter

The Ukrainian ambassador to the US told a standing-room-only crowd at the Abramson Family Founders Room on May 1 that her nation鈥檚 resistance against Russia鈥檚 invasion sends a message to autocrats that there鈥檚 a cost to disregarding sovereign borders.聽

鈥淲e must win to show that democracies can defend themselves,鈥� said Oksana Markarova, who has served as ambassador since February 2021. 鈥淭his is a decisive moment when we have to show Russia that they cannot do what they are doing.鈥澛�

Markarova鈥檚 visit was organized by AU鈥檚 Student Association for Slavic Studies and Kyiv native Daniil Miroshnichenko, SPA/BA 鈥�25, a member of the group. The association had previously arranged visits by the exiled Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and the Polish ambassador to the US Marek Magierowski.聽

鈥淭here鈥檚 such a difference between what you read or see in the news and what you can see on your own by putting a face to the cause,鈥� said Lilly O鈥橣laherty, CAS/BA 鈥�23, president of the Student Association for Slavic Studies. 鈥淭his is such an important moment for this part of the world, and it鈥檚 great to have these government representatives share their stories at AU.鈥澛�

Markarova said Russia鈥檚 invasion鈥攐ngoing for more than 430 days鈥攈as lasted much longer than most international experts thought because Ukrainians have fought for independence against invading nations for centuries. She called their willingness to fight for freedom a defining trait.聽

鈥淲e鈥檝e always revolted,鈥� Markarova said.聽聽

She also pointed to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy鈥檚 ability to directly reach his people, which has served as an inspiration at home and abroad.聽

鈥淗e pulled out his phone and said, 鈥榃e鈥檙e here, we are fighting, we will not surrender,鈥欌�� Markarova said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a new level of transparency, a new level of communication. . . . The whole diplomatic corps [has done] the same. . . . We had to publicly say more.鈥澛�

The costs of the war have been staggering. The United Nations reported 23,015 civilian casualties in Ukraine through April 23, including 8,574 civilian deaths. Explosive weapons with wide area effects account for 91 percent of the casualties. According to US government estimates, hundreds of thousands of soldiers on both sides of the conflict have died.聽

Markarova was quick to point out that Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine didn鈥檛 begin in 2022. Ukraine has fought for its sovereignty against Russian forces since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea, Ukraine鈥檚 strategically important peninsula on the Black Sea, and led armed conflict in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.聽

The ambassador expressed gratitude to the US for supplying aid to Ukraine鈥檚 military and leading international sanctions. She also said her nation has felt the support of the 麻豆果冻传媒 people and, when asked by whom? how to help, said 鈥渆verything you do matters.鈥澛�

鈥淸When] you put a Ukrainian flag outside of your house and the decision makers see it, it鈥檚 a clear sign in a democracy that there is support,鈥� she said. 鈥淧lease continue writing to your [congressperson] and your senator. . . . Politicians need to hear what you think. . . . Let your politicians [know] that you do still support us.鈥澛�