URGENT UPDATE: Philadelphia’s Ukrainian American community is in an uproar over a newly proposed 28-point peace plan aimed at ending the ongoing war in Ukraine. Rallying outside the Ukrainian American Citizens’ Association in North Philadelphia on November 23, 2025, demonstrators condemned the plan as an unacceptable capitulation to Russia.
Waving Ukrainian flags and brandishing signs that read, “Appeasement Isn’t Peace,” the protesters expressed their outrage at what they described as a “copy-and-paste” of Russia’s demands, which include calls for Ukraine to cede territory and abandon its NATO aspirations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously rejected similar stipulations, raising alarms about the implications of such compromises on Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Mary Kalyna, a co-organizer of the rally, declared, “It’s like a reward for the aggression, which we will not stand for.” She emphasized the emotional toll of the conflict, stating, “We will rebuild but it won’t be the same… It’s not just dirt; there are people there.” Her words resonated deeply with the crowd, reflecting a profound sense of loss and anger.
At the core of the protest is the concern that the peace plan would severely compromise Ukraine’s military strength while offering minimal concessions from Russia. According to the plan, although Ukraine would receive international security guarantees and reconstruction assistance, it risks being left vulnerable as Russia faces no repercussions for its actions.
During the rally, Ulana Mazurkevich, president of the Ukrainian American Citizens’ Association, criticized the plan for suggesting that a nation should surrender its territory and military capabilities. “Nobody in their right mind would ask a country to give up its territory, its military, its freedoms,” she argued.
The protestors also raised alarm over the plan’s implications for justice, with legal concerns surrounding potential immunity for Russian officials and soldiers accused of war crimes. Eugene Luciw, a Ukrainian American attendee, expressed outrage, stating, “The rapists, the murderers, the genocidal maniacs… are all supposed to be forgiven — absolutely no prosecutions.”
This grassroots movement is part of a larger wave of discontent among Ukrainians and their allies, reacting against what they view as a dangerous shift in U.S. policy towards Russia, potentially jeopardizing the hard-fought gains of the past four years of conflict.
What’s next? The situation remains fluid as officials from both the United States and Ukraine are expected to hold further discussions regarding the peace proposal. Observers are urging vigilance as these negotiations could redefine the geopolitical landscape in Eastern Europe.
This protest in Philadelphia is not just a local event but a rallying cry that echoes the sentiments of many Ukrainians worldwide who fear that any form of appeasement could embolden aggression and undermine the principles of sovereignty and international law. The implications of this peace plan are profound, and the stakes are higher than ever.
