Yahoo News Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush Visit Ukrainian Church Together
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Bill Clinton and George W. Bush put on a united front as they visited a Ukrainian church in Chicago this week.
The former presidents were in the Windy City for a joint speaking gig on Wednesday when they decided, spur of the moment, to stop in Chicago's neighborhood known as Ukrainian Village, which is home to the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, Ukrainian Cultural Center, and the city's vibrant Ukrainian-American community.
In a joint statement to PEOPLE, spokesmen for the two former presidents said: "In the spirit of seeing every American come together, it just made all the sense in the world to them."
Bush and Clinton, both 75, donned blue and yellow ribbons on their jacket lapels as they walked side by side, placing bouquets of sunflowers – Ukraine's national flower – from a local Ukrainian florist at the feet of a stone cross outside the golden-domed Saints Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church.
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"America stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine as they fight for their freedom and their future," Bush said on Instagram, where he posted a video and photos of the visit.
Clinton also posted the video to his Twitter page, writing, "America stands united with the people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom and against oppression."
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Russia's attack on Ukraine continues after their forces launched a large-scale invasion on Feb. 24 — the first major land conflict in Europe in decades.
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Details of the fighting change by the day, but hundreds of civilians have already been reported dead or wounded, including children. Millions of Ukrainians have also fled, the United Nations says.
The invasion, ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, has drawn condemnation around the world and increasingly severe economic sanctions against Russia.
With NATO forces massing in the region around Ukraine, various countries have also pledged aid or military support to the resistance. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.
"Nobody is going to break us, we're strong, we're Ukrainians," he told the European Union in a speech in the early days of the fighting, adding, "Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness."
The Russian attack on Ukraine is an evolving story, with information changing quickly. Follow PEOPLE's complete coverage of the war here, including stories from citizens on the ground and ways to help.
