SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Irene Amrine has been involved in the fight for Ukraine since the beginning.
"You know, Ukraine has been in war for over 11 years. We're coming up on the third-year anniversary of the full-scale invasion next week," she said.
The United States has long supported Ukraine, with the Department of State website maintaining a “United with Ukraine” page, though it was archived last month.
However, new and recent developments in the last week on the political and foreign policy front are casting fear on the future.
"It'll be a huge slap in the face in what Ukraine has already given up in these three years," said Amrine.
"The reality that returning to 2014 as borders as part of a negotiated settlement is unlikely," said the US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. "The reality of Ukraine membership in NATO as a part of a negotiated settlement is unlikely.”
Comments like those made by Hegseth on Friday are causing concern that negotiations will favor Russia.
Armine says forcing Ukraine to let go of its territory would be a betrayal, especially to those fighting on the frontlines.
"That a lot of this.. a lot of this bloodshed was in vain," said Armine.
On Sunday, President Donald Trump reassured reporters that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will take part in any peace negotiations.
For Armine, who is organizing a rally Saturday morning at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center in Phoenix, hoping for the best is all she can do.
"I'm not giving up," said Armine.
