Ukraine’s national flower, the sunflower, has become a symbol of solidarity as natives hope to nip Russian aggression in the bud.
Within the past week, sunflowers have been held up by anti-war protesters in Venezuela, pasted on the windows of London’s Downing Street, and painted in communities around the world to show support for the Ukrainian people as Russia wages a brutal invasion of the country.
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United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office shared a photo Friday of Downing Street adorned with illustrations of sunflowers designed by children from around the country in support of Ukraine.
Downing Street is adorned with sunflowers designed by children from across the country in support of Ukraine ?
#StandWithUkraine???? pic.twitter.com/TKSsf3ujDj
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) March 4, 2022
The day before, an anti-war protester outside the European Union offices in Venezuela was seen holding up a sunflower with a message that read, in Spanish, “Putin Killer.”
Others have added sunflower emojis to their social media accounts or shared photos of the plant in their communities in a show of unity with the Ukrainian people.
Sunflowers for our Ukrainian friends we haven’t met. Sending them all of our love and support during these unimaginable times. Thanks to our school community for contributing $3834.40 to relief efforts so far. We will accept donations on Monday as well. @NLESDCA @EDU_GovNL pic.twitter.com/qzKo1rxNH7
— ?????? ???? (@beachycoveelem) March 4, 2022
Among those showing their support is first lady Jill Biden, who was spotted with a face mask featuring a yellow sunflower embroidered on the side. Biden wore a blue dress to Tuesday’s State of the Union address with a sunflower sewn into the arm as she sat next to the Ukrainian ambassador.
The symbol rose in prominence in the resistance movement against Russia after one woman offered sunflower seeds to a Russian soldier so that they would grow when he died.
“What the f*** are you doing on our land with all these guns? Take these seeds and put them in your pockets, so at least sunflowers will grow when you all lie down here,” the woman was heard saying in a video shared on Feb. 24.
The video, as of Friday, has been viewed more than 8 million times.
Ukrainian woman confronts Russian soldiers in Henychesk, Kherson region. Asks them why they came to our land and urges to put sunflower seeds in their pockets [so that flowers would grow when they die on the Ukrainian land] pic.twitter.com/ztTx2qK7kB
— UkraineWorld (@ukraine_world) February 24, 2022
Though the sunflower has taken on a new wartime meaning, it is deeply rooted in Ukrainian tradition. The flowers have long been seen on clothing at celebrations and planted across the country.
Ukraine also supplies over half of the world’s crude sunflower and safflower oil, according to Quartz India.
On June 4, 1996, the flower was used as a sign of peace between Ukraine and Russia. Russian Defense Minister Pavel Grachev, Ukrainian Defense Minister Valery Schmarov, and U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry were photographed planting sunflowers to mark the disarmament of nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
The sunflowers were planted at the former Soviet Pervomaysk missile base following the Cold War.
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The Ukrainian government claimed that 2,000 civilians were dead, while the United Nations said only 136 were killed. Russia’s aggression has been condemned worldwide, and even scores of Russian citizens have engaged in antiwar protests.
