DeKalb Times

Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) is showing solidarity for Ukrainian citizens whose country has been invaded by Russian troops.

Keicher handed out pins with the American and Ukrainian flags together on Monday and spoke of unity from the House floor. 

“I’m hopeful that we can wear these as a sign of unity, with the men women and children that we see on our headlines every day now that are being bombarded by these barbaric acts that we see perpetrated on a peaceful civilization that wants nothing more than democracy and freedom, the same freedoms that we pursue in a civil way in this chamber,” he said. “It’s my utmost hope that the (U.S.) at some point here in the near future finds the bravery to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine, a sovereign nation.”

Keicher isn’t the only Illiniosian showing support for the Ukrainians. In Chicago, local and state leaders gathered at the Ukrainian Village on. Feb. 27 for a rally to voice their solidarity.

“It’s Ukraine today, but it will be another Democratic freedom-loving country tomorrow,” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said during the event. “We must stop (Russian President Vladimir Putin) in his tracks.”

Elena Lypnytska, who has family in Ukraine, began gathering necessities to send. She made a list and an Amazon wishlist for these items.

“If you want to help Ukrainians, this is not a third-party person — It’s direct,” she told Rolling Stone. “We’ll do what we need to do, and will give it to the people who are doing humanitarian help and they send it to Ukraine. So it’s all happening here. We’re asking them to do it overnight as soon as possible because time is very crucial right now.”

According to the Associated Press, two million individuals, mostly women and children had fled Ukraine as of March 8. A planned evacuation failed after Russian soldiers fired on a caravan carrying cargo in Mariupol.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden issued a ban on energy products from Russia, after imposing a variety of other sanctions as well.

“I am announcing the (U.S.) is targeting the main artery of Russia's economy. We’re banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy,” Biden said from the White House. “That means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at U.S. ports, and the American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin’s war machine.”

According to the BBC, on Feb. 24, Putin said Russia could not feel “safe, develop and exist” due to a constant threat from modern Ukraine. That was his reasoning for the invasion. His aims, according to the BBC, are to pursue demilitarization and de-Nazification of Ukraine.