One United Fundraiser in the US: Ukrainian community gathers in Washington

A joint event hosted by the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation, and the 412th Nemesis Brigade brought the Ukrainian community together in Washington, D.C., featuring Serhiy Prytula, founder of the charity foundation, and Andriy Shevchenko, head of the UWC mission in Ukraine.

The gathering took place at the Saint Gabriel Institute for Church Communications as part of the One United Fundraiser 2026 tour across the U.S. and Canada, aimed at protecting Ukrainian civilians, cities, and energy infrastructure from attacks by Russian Shahed drones.

Andriy Shevchenko moderated the event, which was both substantive and welcoming. During the discussion, Prytula, together with Major Volodymyr Horodnychyi, senior officer of the 412th Nemesis Brigade’s Civil-Military Cooperation Group, spoke about civilian protection, countering drone attacks, and supporting Ukrainian defenders on the front lines.

Special attention was given to the challenges facing Ukrainian children forced to study abroad due to the war and the difficulties families face when considering a return to Ukraine.

“We need to find ways to bring Ukrainian children home. Many are already integrated into schools abroad, and even if families want to return, the children must take entrance exams for Ukrainian universities. That’s why it’s crucial to develop adaptive programs for returning children,” Prytula said.

The One United Fundraiser tour covers eight cities in North America, aiming to unite Ukrainian communities around supporting Ukraine, raising funds to protect the country’s skies, and strengthening its defense capabilities.

At the same time, Ukrainian Week is taking place in Washington, a traditional advocacy event organized by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) in partnership with the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS).

Earlier, Andriy Futey, Third Vice President of the UWC, highlighted how Ukrainian communities in the U.S. and other countries can meaningfully support Ukraine through even small, everyday actions.