ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Almost every week since February 2022, members of six Lehigh Valley Ukrainian Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox churches have gathered for a Moleben service, praying for divine intercession to bring peace in Ukraine.
St. Mary’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Allentown held the now-familiar rite once again Sunday, alongside the Valley’s chapter of the Ukrainian National Women’s League — this time to mark two years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.
Speaking at a town hall-style meeting after the service, U.S. Rep. Susan Wild said that Ukraine’s ability to keep fighting depends on a new round of U.S. aid that faces an uncertain future in Congress.
“I want to be very realistic with you, while at the same time not make people feel devoid of hope,” said Wild, D-Lehigh Valley. “Ukraine… needed our assistance weeks ago, months ago.
“The problem is … we have a small faction of people in the House of Representatives who have managed to essentially put the kibosh on any kind of meaningful legislation of any kind, let alone foreign aid to other countries.”
Wild said she's confident there is enough support for a Ukraine aid deal to pass the House, but Speaker Mike Johnson is using his power over what legislation receives a vote to prevent an aid deal from moving forward.
A representative for U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., read a statement on his behalf supporting aid for Ukraine. Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, a representative for Ukraine's mission to the United Nations, made the case for supporting Ukraine's war effort.
“I truly believe we need to help Ukraine. But I also believe that we need to do something in America, too.”Barbara Hutzayluk, St. Mary's Ukrainian Orthodox Church
St. Mary’s member Barbara Hutzayluk, a strong supporter of more aid to Ukraine, said helping fight Russia furthered American interests by stopping Russian expansion before it reaches nearby nations the U.S. is obligated to defend.
She did not limit responsibility for failing to approve more aid to only Democrats or Republicans.
“Who do I blame? I blame them all,” she said. “I truly believe we need to help Ukraine. But I also believe that we need to do something in America too.”
Yuliia Horbenko, who recently moved to Macungie from Southern Ukraine to escape Russian occupation, said she was grateful for all of the aid her country has received so far from the U.S., but that sending military aid now was far less costly than a future war with Russia.
“If we allow Putin to win then there will be much more death, because Putin will continue“ claiming territory beyond Ukraine, she said. “If he would not be stopped now, it will not stop.”
