Dear MoveOn member,

Our hearts continue to break for the devastations faced by Ukrainians,
even while we're inspired by the confidence and courage they are showing
the world each day in refusing to give in to occupation by a dictator with
imperial ambitions.

Vladimir Putin's destructive choice to launch an unprovoked invasion is
backfiring as the global community unites around Ukraine. And every action
that we take to live into that solidarity is important. Wherever we are,
we can help keep the light of peace and hope alive for the people of
Ukraine by showing our solidarity with them in our homes and our
communities—and by reaching into our pockets to put food into their hands.

[ [link removed] ]Click here to download a “We Are With Ukraine” image to put in your
window or post online.

[ [link removed] ]And then dig deep to donate whatever you can directly to World Central
Kitchen, which is serving fresh meals to people forced to flee the
invasion, inside Ukraine and in neighboring countries.

Putin might have thought that violently forcing himself upon the people of
Ukraine would splinter them along ethnic, linguistic, and religious lines,
expand his legacy at home, and result in Ukraine allying with Putin. The
exact opposite is happening: He has united Ukrainians against him,
inspired a wave of protests in Russia, and unified the global embrace of
an independent, democratic, and free Ukraine.^1 Rather than conceding to
Putin's demands, the European Parliament has voted to advance Ukraine's
application to join the European Union.^2

We're part of that global outcry. Over 150,000 of us have signed the
MoveOn statement in support for the people of Ukraine, just as a crowd of
100,000 reportedly marched in Berlin on Sunday against Putin's war.^3

Solidarity takes many shapes. Our governments have a critical role to
play, as the Biden administration has joined with countries from
Switzerland to Japan in taking strong economic action against Putin's
government—freezing offshore assets of government cronies, blocking
financial transfers, and holding Putin and Russia's foreign minister
accountable. Those steps are crucial, but they aren't the only avenue for
action. Cultural acts of solidarity have come from all sorts of places:
From sports leagues, who have moved their games out of Russia in protest
of the invasion of Ukraine, to New York's Metropolitan Opera and the
Munich Philharmonic, who cut ties with a conductor and close ally of
Putin's who refused to denounce the invasion, there are many important
ways to act against war.^4

MoveOn members have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars directly to
Ukrainian relief efforts, while also using our collective voice to
advocate for a diplomacy-first, peaceful end to this conflict. One more
simple way is to display your support for Ukraine's democracy to your
friends and family, or by donating to food relief efforts. 

[ [link removed] ]Print and post a solidarity sign now.

Experts estimated that 7 million people in Ukraine could be displaced by
Putin's war.^5 Already, hundreds of thousands of people have flooded
across borders to neighboring Poland, Hungary, Romania, and beyond in the
dead of winter. World Central Kitchen is responding to the acute need,
using their experience in bringing food relief to areas hit by disasters
and war to help give people food and hope. We might not be able to go join
them, but we can help their work by making a generous donation, small or
large, right now.

[ [link removed] ]Donate to World Central Kitchen’s fund for emergency food relief in
Ukraine.

Though tanks might have crossed into Ukraine last week, we know that this
invasion is not an isolated act of violence. The cluster bombs seen in
Ukraine's second-largest city, widely banned because they are designed to
kill civilians indiscriminately, were used on the Syrian people by Russian
and Russian-backed forces propping up dictator Bashar
al-Assad.^6,7 Meanwhile, thousands of conscripted Russian soldiers, many
of them young and poor, have lost their lives due to Putin's senseless
aggression.^8

Unless we stop Putin from seeing war as a positive choice, we'll continue
to see more death and destruction. So let's come together now and show
solidarity with Ukraine.

Thanks for all you do.

–David, Mana, Amy, Isbah, and the rest of the team

Sources: 

1. "Attack on Ukraine brings rare sight in Russia: Protests in cities
against Putin and invasion," The Washington Post, February 24, 2022
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
 
2. "European Parliament Backs Ukraine's EU Application, But Long Road
Ahead," Newsweek, March 1, 2022
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
 
3. "As over 100,000 rally for Ukraine, Germany announces vast defense
spending increase that may upend European security policy," The Washington
Post, February 27, 2022
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
 
4. "Munich Philharmonic drops star conductor Valery Gergiev over Putin
ties," DW Akademie, March 1, 2022
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
 
5. "EU says expects millions of displaced Ukrainians," Reuters, February
27, 2022
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
 
6. "Ukraine's Kharkiv struck by cluster bombs, experts say," Reuters,
March 1, 2022
[ [link removed] ][link removed]
 
7. "What are cluster and vacuum weapons, and how has Russia used them in
the past?," The Washington Post, March 2, 2022
[link removed]
 
8. "Russian Troop Deaths Expose a Potential Weakness of Putin’s Strategy,"
The New York Times, March 2, 2022
[ [link removed] ][link removed]


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