London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Andy Burnham reaffirms Greater Manchester’s enduring support for Ukraine, promising solidarity for as long as necessary amid ongoing conflict.
Two years on from Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham reaffirmed the city’s support for the war-torn country. Speaking alongside delegates from the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain and the Manchester-based charity UK-Med, Mr Burnham remarked on the importance of standing by Ukraine for as long as it takes.
Burnham stated: “We made commitments to [the Ukrainian people] two years ago that we would stand with them, and this city region of ours does not make commitments like that lightly.
“We see you, we welcome you, we continue to welcome you here, and we’ll stand with you for as long as it takes. We’re never fair-weather friends here in Greater Manchester; we’ll always stick the course.
“We must not forget Ukraine.”
The attack began with Russian rocket strikes across Ukrainian cities in the early hours of 24 February 2022. Ground troops quickly followed, taking over swathes of land in the east and south of the country.
A swift Ukrainian resistance prevented Kyiv’s capital from falling into Russian hands.
Now, two years on, the frontline remains a stalemate, according to the Institute of the Study of War, with Russia still occupying approximately 18% of Ukraine’s territory. Fighting remains intense, and once-thriving cities such as Mariupol have been ruined.
As floods of desperate refugees left the country in the weeks and months after the invasion, many settled in Greater Manchester thanks to the success of the government’s ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme. Though dreaming of the day they will be able to return home, Ukrainians have embraced community life in the UK, according to Petro Rewko, the Chair of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain.
He stated: “They’ve integrated into community life because they see something takes the mind off of what’s going on in Ukraine.
“It’s still hard, still heart-breaking, and we all want this to come to an end as soon as possible.”
In a symbolic motion of support, Mr Burnham declared that Greater Manchester would recognize the mass killing of Ukrainians by the Soviet Union between 1932 and 1933 – known as the Holodomor – as a genocide.
Historians estimate between 3.5 to 7 million Ukrainians died as a result of the man-made famines caused by Stalin.
Mr. Burnham stated that people must recognize that Russia’s invasion of the country is not the first time Ukrainian identity has come under attack.
He expressed: “It’s about recognizing past injustice as well as what’s happening now. It will give some strength to the Ukrainians here and back in the country at this difficult time.
“We recognize how [Ukrainians] see this as an existential attack on their culture and identity, and that’s why we’re trying to help on every single level.”
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The Mayor is also bringing together cities from around the world into a scheme to help support the Ukrainian city of Lviv in response to a call by its Mayor, Andriy Sadoviy, to help it become