‘People are exhausted’: Ukrainians mark the 3-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion

Monday marks three years since Russia invaded Ukraine and after recent developments it appears the conflict's end is nowhere in sight.

Monday will mark the three-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. With President Trump sending mixed signals on America’s support for Ukraine’s war effort, it appears the conflict’s end is nowhere in sight.

“People are exhausted for sure,” said Uliana Kolesnyk, who lives in western Ukraine. “It’s been three years.”

She believed when the war broke out in her home country in 2022 that it would come to an end within the first year.

“At times I want to cry, or at times I just want to scream and shout,” said Kolesnyk.

Three long years later, cities have been left in ruin and hundreds of thousands of people have been injured or killed.

Kolesnyk says Ukrainians have become greatly concerned as it appears that country’s biggest ally, the U.S., has sided with its enemy.

“This is really disturbing for western Europe, who regard Putin as a problem,” said Kenneth Christie, the director of the School of Humanitarian Studies at Royal Roads University.

Recently Trump has referred to President Zelensky as a dictator, and also blamed him for starting the war.

“Which was highly ridiculous,” said Christie.

Talks between the U.S. and Russia have been taking place with the aim of ending the war although Ukraine wasn’t invited to the table. On Thursday some hope for peace was restored after Keith Kellog, the U.S. envoy to Ukraine and Russia, met with the Ukrainian president.

“He said he had a very good meeting with Zelensky and that Zelensky was a courageous leader,” said Christie.

On Vancouver Island, Bob Beckett and Bruce Brown are keeping a close eye on the political landscape in Ukraine. They will be returning next month to deliver humanitarian aid to five communities and two hospitals in the war-torn country.

“I never expected that with this being our fourth trip, would still be in a time of war,” said Beckett. “I think it’s going to be a real struggle this time.”

Three years in, Beckett expects that the war will have taken its toll on the people of Ukraine.

“I can’t say enough how important it is today, in 2025, on the third anniversary of this bloody war that we’re going to be standing arm in arm with the people of Ukraine,” said Beckett.

On Sunday, a rally will be held at the Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Victoria beginning at 2 p.m.

“From a timing perspective it will be almost the same time that the war started in Ukraine,” said Dmytro Broysenko, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Victoria Branch.

It’s open to everyone that wants to show their support for those that have lived through three years of war in Ukraine.

“If not the U.S., then Europe is our last hope,” said Kolesnyk.

With President Trump signaling military and financial support is coming to an end, those living in Ukraine are holding out hope that new allies will step in to fill that void.

“Year one there was lots of hope that it’s going to be just fine and now after three years you don’t know what to expect, you just know what you can still not give up,” said Kolesnyk.