A White House spokesperson said “meaningful progress” was made at the talks, although President Donald Trump has consistently pressured Ukrainian leaders to agree to a peace deal that could mean conceding to Russian demands for land in the eastern part of the country.

Zavadenko said this is unacceptable. She believes Russia won’t stop there, pointing to the invasion after they seized Crimea.

“It’s not about the land or the mines and resources in that area. It’s about the people. They will not have a chance for a democratic life,” she said.

The Trump administration has criticized past support for Ukraine, arguing it costs taxpayers disproportionate amounts of money.

Michigan has the ninth-largest Ukrainian-American population in the United States, according to recent Census Bureau numbers. And on Sunday, immigrants and descendants from the country spoke well of the U.S.’s support for the country’s war efforts.

“So often, you speak about freedom. We now want this freedom,” Myroslav Dymuch, a priest at St. John’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, told the crowd at the rally.

“We are fighting for this freedom, and the example of this freedom. Thank you, our brother and sister Americans, for supporting. Together, we are fighting, and we will win, and peace will be in Ukraine,” Dymuch said.

Michael Sawicky, an attorney born to Ukrainian parents, wore a U.S. flag draped on his shoulders to the rally. He said it’s important to support Ukraine as a U.S. citizen because they’re fighting for “the basic principles that our country was founded on.”

“If we really want to stand for principles of democracy, then I think it’s important for the United States to support like-minded countries,” said Sawicky.

The rally was held as the Trump administration continues its immigration crackdown throughout the country. The administration recently instructed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to detain lawful refugees if they haven’t retained permanent residency a year after their admission to the U.S.

Ksenia Cozak, whose parents came to the U.S. when they were children during World War II, said the ICE crackdown was responsible for a smaller crowd at the rally than in 2025. She estimated about double attendance last year.

Multiple rally attendees also declined to speak to The Detroit News out of fear of ICE.

“Most of these people are here because of official U.S. programs. They followed the rules, they submitted all the paperwork, and they are here legally. And so I want to make sure that those people are not afraid to stay in the U.S., that they’re not afraid to go about their lives. But unfortunately, the actions of ICE are such that I cannot tell them, ‘Don’t be afraid,’” said Cozak. “I would be afraid if I was in their position, even if I were here legally.”

But those who did come to the rally said Ukraine needs to continue the fight for its freedom.

“If we would stop the fight, we will not exist anymore,” said Zavadenko. “Russia has to be the one who is forced to stop the war, because they are the ones who started it, who are continuing it.”

“I want this war to be not just stopped. I want to win this war, and it never happen again,” said Romanenko.

mbryan@detroitnews.com

Reuters contributed to this report.