In front of Chicago’s iconic Water Tower, hundreds gathered Sunday afternoon in thunderous support of democracy in war-torn Ukraine — two days after President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance confronted the Eastern European nation’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, over plans for peace in a tense televised meeting.

More than 1,000 of people took to the streets of downtown Chicago Sunday afternoon to protest President Trump's actions in Ukraine.This follows the tense showdown last week between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office.

Ukrainian refugees, elected officials, and former politicians said supporting Ukraine against Russia is a matter of global stability, especially as the Trump administration begins talks on ending the conflict.

A fiery meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is making waves around the world, including Chicago's Ukrainian Village neighborhood. An Oval Office meeting between President Trump,

Ukraine has the right to its existence and its self-determination," Cardinal Blase Cupich told hundreds gathered at Holy Name Cathedral to pray for peace and honor the dead at the three-year mark of war.

As the war in Ukraine rages on, Russians living in the U.S. have been protesting the conflict, including in Chicago.

It's a betrayal of that ideal that I believe made America what it is — a place in the world where those that don't have hope can look forward to hope,” said Walter Tun, whose Ukrainian parents immigrated to the U.

European leaders have upped the ante on defense spending plans as they look to support Kyiv and fill a potential void of U.S. aid.

In a setback for the Trump administration the assembly approved a European-backed Ukrainian resolution, which demands an immediate withdrawal of Russian troops and calls Moscow’s aggression a violation of the U.