When I pictured studying abroad in London for the spring 2022 semester, I did not consider that I might encounter the start of a war. I wasn’t imagining there would be peace on Earth either, but I thought we as a planet had reached our quota for news stories that dominate every moment with their urgency.

I was wrong. On Feb. 24, I learned that Russia had invaded Ukraine from the televisions in the student lounge of the Fordham London Centre campus, which are often set to BBC News. At the time, I recognized that the event was momentous, but it didn’t quite hit me how quickly the situation would escalate. Over the next few days, more news poured in and more conversations around me were centered around Russia’s invasion. Protests then began breaking out across London and the rest of the United Kingdom in support of Ukraine.

Long-Standing Tensions

Russian troops began assembling on Ukraine’s border last autumn, and Russia has been encroaching on Ukrainian territory since the Crimean annexation in 2014, but this invasion represents an escalation in Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s plan to expand the country’s territory. Russia has now captured Kherson, an important port in Ukraine, as well as Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. So far, the invasion has caused nearly 1.7 million Ukrainians to flee the country, finding refuge in Poland and other neighboring countries.

In my History of British Political Thought class, we discussed the widespread fear of what will happen to Ukrainian intellectuals, artists and activists who speak out against Putin.

In response to the Russia-Ukraine war, the United States and the United Kingdom have both responded with boycotts and sanctions on Russia: the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Europe has been halted, golden passports have been limited and the United States has cut off access to funds held in American dollars, among others. 

Many corporations have pulled their business out of Russia, and the United States has also implemented a ban on importing Russian oil, gas and coal. These measures are intended to isolate Russia until Putin is forced to retreat from Ukraine. So far, the Russian stock market has crashed, the ruble’s value has fallen drastically and interest rates have doubled.

We have discussed Russia’s war on Ukraine and its political, logistical and human consequences in all of my classes at London Centre. There has been somber recognition of the situation, often alongside a brief probe to see if any students in class have a Russian or Ukrainian nationality or know anyone near the center of the war.

On March 6, demonstrations in central London drew thousands of people.

In my History of British Political Thought class, we discussed the widespread fear of what will happen to Ukrainian intellectuals, artists and activists who speak out against Putin. My European Politics class discussed Ukraine’s rapid application for membership in the European Union, which would provide them with greater protection across the continent but logistically wouldn’t be viable for some time.

Outside of classes, I have seen protests outside 10 Downing Street, the home and office of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, with people standing in solidarity with Ukrainians and urging the British government to help “stop the war.” The United Kingdom has promised to accept Ukrainian refugees and their extended families for an initial year, along with sending 220 million pounds (290 million dollars) in aid to Ukraine, but protestors are asking for more. 

Kaavya Muthuraman, former Fordham undergraduate student and student and Rutgers University ’23 who is studying abroad at City, University of London, attended one of the protests on Downing Street and said that she hopes to influence the politicians on Downing Street to allocate resources for Ukraine. 

“Protest is a good form of showing support, advocacy and mobilizing ourselves as a society, reminding each other that everyone matters,” she said. “The general English population cannot do too much more than show their support and try to influence politicians through protest.”

Many are simply trying to let Ukrainians know that the world is watching and is on their side.

On March 6, demonstrations in central London drew thousands of people, as the situation in Ukraine grew more dire and Brits felt increasingly inclined to take action. 

Jeremy Corbyn, a member of Parliament and the former leader of the Labour Party, spoke at a Parliament Square protest to warn against the dangers of a potential nuclear escalation and to call for the British government to welcome more refugees. While many like Muthuraman turn to protests as an accessible and reliable way to show support, some wonder about the efficacy of chanting or holding signs in the face of real violence, particularly at protests with little organization or available resources. 

Muthuraman noted that although the protest at 10 Downing Street was a kind and open environment, she felt that it was a bit fruitless.  

“I loved showing my support, but I wondered what our chanting was actually doing to help,” she said.

Fordham sent a similar email offering similar services and framed the war as one afflicting a population who deserves our prayer.

Despite this concern, many are simply trying to let Ukrainians know that the world is watching and is on their side. This sentiment was exhibited by City, University of London where Muthuraman and I both take classes, when the administration emailed study abroad students reiterating their support.

“We understand that some of you may have connections to Ukraine or family members there, so may be more directly affected. Please don’t hesitate to seek out help and support at the University should you need it,” the email read, linking counseling services. 

Muthuraman said that our “proximity is kind of alarming — City, University has sent us information on what to do in regards to travel and safety. They have provided information on what students with family in Ukraine should do.”

“I think gathering and symbolically standing with the Ukrainian people is cathartic — especially for those with loved ones directly impacted.”Julia Curtin, FCLC ’23

Fordham sent a similar email offering similar services and framed the war as one afflicting a population who deserves our prayer. 

On Feb. 26, I stopped by a protest in Cambridge that was held by the Cambridge University Ukrainian Society. There were 60 people in attendance holding flags and signs, along with a larger transient crowd that stopped to listen. Several organizers moved through the crowd to pass out informational sheets with actions people should take to help Ukraine. These sheets included QR codes that linked to templates of letters to send to representatives, ways to donate to humanitarian aid funds and to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and future dates of protests in both Cambridge and London. 

The presence of Russians at these protests reflects how many in the country disagree with the imposition on Ukraine’s sovereignty, not only because they believe it’s wrong, but also because the global sanctions imposed on Russia have hurt certain population groups there. Some signs held by Russians read “Putin is the shame of my country.”

Several locations like the Empire State Building and the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge have been lit up with blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukrainian flag.

Banners featured hashtags like #closethesky, referencing calls to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Although U.S. President Joe Biden and other NATO leaders have declined to do so for fear of igniting a NATO-Russia conflict, since the U.S. military would be shooting down Russian planes. There was also #banrussiafromswift, the (since fulfilled) demand that Russian banks be removed from SWIFT, a messaging system that facilitates international trade. 

Chants included “Stand with Ukraine” and “Stop the war,” which periodically gave way to speeches from the organizers. One speaker cautioned that “with every hour the chances can change dramatically” regarding Ukrainian people’s safety and implored the crowd to contact their members of parliament to keep them “updated on the situation in Ukraine” and to “keep Ukraine’s sovereignty a visible topic in the media and government policy.” 

Julia Curtin, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’23 and an attendee at the Cambridge protest, said the protest was “powerful and emotional, especially because there were children who should’ve been playing and enjoying the gorgeous day it was in Cambridge, not protesting an unnecessary war.”

Curtin’s concern for the children affected by the war mirrors Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s emotional plea that “We have a desire to see our children alive.” She felt that the protest served a necessary purpose by allowing people to convene with one common goal.

“I think gathering and symbolically standing with the Ukrainian people is cathartic — especially for those with loved ones directly impacted,” she said.

Response in America

In New York City, there have been protests on the Upper East Side outside the Russian mission to the United Nations, as well as in the East Village and in Times Square. Several locations like the Empire State Building and the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge have been lit up with blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukrainian flag. 

I wanted to know more about how students’ experience of the conflict in the United Kingdom compared to the experience of students back in New York City, which is home to the highest number of Ukrainians of any city in the U.S. as well as an epicenter of Russian American culture. 

Salma Elazab, FCLC ’22, who is currently located in New York, said that her communication and journalism professors have been incorporating the conflict in their lessons, but in some of her other non-communication classes, the war was barely mentioned.

The question of American military involvement has been at the forefront this week, even in conversations in the United Kingdom.

Elazab said that while the protests in NYC that were displaying solidarity are good, Americans shouldn’t use those protests to push for U.S. military involvement. 

“President Biden has already imposed economic sanctions against Russia, and in my opinion, it would be very dangerous for the United States to become involved beyond this,” she said.

Based on America’s track record, Elazab thinks that “if America intervenes, the conflict will only escalate and lead to the loss of many lives. Russia has threatened to act out against countries that intervene. While it is unclear what Putin’s intentions are, American intervention overseas has never ended well.” 

Elazab believes it’s more useful to offer aid to those affected. Showing support to those experiencing the immediate fallout from the invasion and expressing one’s opinions online is “one of the only ways that young people can help” in a manner that doesn’t encourage a harmful escalation of conflict. 

The question of American military involvement has been at the forefront this week, even in conversations in the United Kingdom. Biden has confirmed the United States will not deploy troops. Although Ukraine’s sovereignty is assured through the Budapest Memorandum, that doesn’t mean the United States will send troops — that is, unless fighting spreads to NATO member countries. 

All three people I spoke to praised the role of social media in circulating information and providing avenues for direct assistance.

Citing the refrain of helplessness felt by everyone I spoke to, some Brits are volunteering to join the combat on the ground. The Ukrainian embassy in the United Kingdom has emphasized that it is grateful for the support but that it has no part in recruiting. The United Kingdom is not officially sending troops, but Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said she would “support those in the U.K. who wanted to take up arms in Ukraine.”

All three people I spoke to praised the role of social media in circulating information and providing avenues for direct assistance. 

Elazab noted that a lot of Fordham students, as well as others, have been sharing their thoughts on Instagram and Twitter. Muthuraman agreed, saying that social media has been huge in spreading information and being a platform for people to share their opinions.

Curtin concurred, explaining that “Social media has also played a huge role in organizing protests, as well as spreading the message of how to help. It’s easy to feel disillusioned or distant from the war, but remaining informed and vigilant via protesting, contacting local government officials and donating to Ukrainian organizations is important no matter where you are.” 

Displays of support can feel futile in the face of so much power, destruction and bureaucracy.

Although Russian state media has certainly been spreading disinformation about the invasion, social media has allowed Ukrainians and Zelensky himself to provide accurate updates to the rest of the world about what’s happening on the ground, as well as useful ways to help.

Elazab, who is a first-generation Middle Eastern-American, also brought up comparisons to recent attacks on the sovereignty of countries with majority nonwhite populations, arguing that the differing Western response to situations in Ukraine and in Palestine, for example, is a display of hypocrisy.

“It’s been quite jarring to me hearing about how Western countries are letting Ukrainians into their countries without a visa, no questions asked,” Elazab said. “It frustrates me that the same acceptance and refuge is not given to non-white victims of war from Syria and Afghanistan, for example.” 

Ultimately, there appears to be a consensus that solidarity is definitely good, but displays of support can feel futile in the face of so much power, destruction and bureaucracy.