The Soviet Union officially collapsed in December 1991 and in so doing, dissolved its member vassal states, one of which was Ukraine. At that time, Ukraine held the majority of the former Soviet Union's nuclear weapons.
In 1993, Ukraine was offered security guarantees by the United States, Russia and the United Kingdom if it agreed to give up its nuclear weapons. Each of these countries promised to respect Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and existing borders, and to neither threaten nor use force against it.
The politics of the United States and Ukraine have been intertwined ever since. President Trump threatened Ukraine in 2019 by withholding military aid. President Putin unlawfully seized Crimea in 2014 and launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. President Trump has since waffled on promised support.
In this work, I've carved a representation of the U.S. flag and superimposed the colors of the Ukrainian flag. I made this work to honor the bravery and strength of the Ukrainian people, for whom I have the highest respect.
Sign up for our occasional emails and I'll send you this free downloadable print from my Mountains & Shadows collection. I promise I'll never overload your inbox or sell your personal information.
