Ukraine Action Summit, Fall 2025

What We Saw, What We Heard, and Why It Matters

The Ukraine Action Summit returned to Washington, D.C., on October 25–29, 2025 – and it was the largest one yet. More than 750 delegates from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia gathered for five days of meetings on Capitol Hill, strategy workshops, and advocacy training. Organized by the American Coalition for Ukraine (ACU), the Summit has become the largest Ukrainian -American civic advocacy event in the United States.

For Dignitas Ukraine, this Summit carried a special weight. Not only because the stakes of the war continue to rise, but because Washington itself is shifting – politically, logistically, and emotionally.

We were there to witness all of it.

In the Middle of a Government Shutdown

The Fall 2025 Summit happened under unusual circumstances: the U.S. government was experiencing a shutdown. For many Congressional offices, that meant staff shortages. Not all assistants and schedulers were on duty, and many meetings required quick adjustments.

Yet this did not slow down the momentum. Delegates, including Dignitas Ukraine volunteers, fanned out across Capitol Hill. They visited both Republican and Democratic offices, ensuring Ukrainian defenders’ needs were heard on both sides of the aisle.

What we saw was extraordinary: even with half the Hill running on minimal personnel, every office made time for Ukraine.

What Dignitas Advocated For

This Summit’s advocacy priorities reflected the urgency of the battlefield and the strategic needs of 2025. Our volunteer teams focused on four core issues:

• Secondary sanctions
  • Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025: S. 1241 / H.R. 2548
• Frozen russian assets for Ukraine 
  • REPO Implementation Act of 2025: S. 2918
  • The Ukraine Support Act: H.R. 2913 (2025–2026)
• Stolen Ukrainian children
  • Resolution Calling For The Return Of Abducted Children: H.RES. 564 / S.RES.236
  • Protecting Ukrainian Children and Families Act of 2025: S. 2119
• Security guarantees for Ukraine
  • The Sanctioning Russia Act S.: 1241
  • PEACE Act: H.R.4346

These are not abstract policy points – they are life -and -death issues.

One striking difference from past years: we hardly had to explain anything. Congressional staffers already understood the danger of drone warfare. They were deeply aware of russia’s system of abducting Ukrainian children – a form of state -organized human trafficking.

They knew the stories. They knew this issue was no longer a distant tragedy  – it had become a global security threat.

The Reality of Stolen Children

In meeting after meeting, one theme kept returning: russia’s widespread abduction of Ukrainian children.

When russia steals Ukrainian children, most are pushed into organized “after -school military training.” Many are quickly transferred into militarized camps, where they undergo indoctrination and preparation for future combat roles.

These are not summer camps – they are pipelines for turning kidnapped children into soldiers of an occupying army.

And on Capitol Hill, this truth resonated powerfully.

A New Moment for Sanctions

The political landscape also shifted dramatically.

President Trump introduced new sanctions targeting Lukoil and Rosneft – two pillars of russia’s oil and energy system. Meanwhile, Congress has moved new legislation forward:

• Senator Lindsey Graham is leading a sanctions bill in the Senate.
  
• A corresponding bill is moving through the House of Representatives.
  
• Secondary sanctions have received more than enough support to pass.

But here is the challenge: nothing moves unless Congress votes.

This is why advocacy matters. Volunteers walk into offices and ask a simple but powerful question:

“Are you cosigning this bill?”

Even one supportive commitment from a constituent’s district counts as a successful meeting. Every signature builds momentum – and momentum turns into votes.

Advocacy is not a one-time gesture. It is a long conversation.

All politics is local

One of the strongest insights from this Summit is simple: effective advocacy happens in person.

If your community hosts events, invite your elected officials. Show them your work. Introduce them to veterans. Let them hear stories from Ukrainians directly.

Staffers change constantly – aides rotate, offices reorganize, committees shift. Relationships must be rebuilt over and over.

That is why showing up matters. That is why touching base again matters. That is why the Ukrainian community must remain present, active, and visible.

A Cultural Icon Who Chooses Ukraine

During the Ukraine Action Summit, Dmytro had a chance to gift a “make russia small again” t-shirt to Jefferson Holt. Many in the music world know Jefferson as the longtime manager of R.E.M. from 1981 to 1996, the era when the band released some of its most iconic songs, including Losing My Religion. After leaving the music industry, he founded Daniel 13 Press, a publishing house known for supporting independent voices and meaningful storytelling.

Jefferson has also been a steady supporter of Ukraine, using his platform to speak up, share accurate information, and stand with Ukrainians. Moments like this highlight how wide and unexpected Ukraine’s community of allies truly is – from policymakers to artists to cultural figures who choose to stand on the side of freedom.

What Made This Summit Different

The Fall 2025 Summit had a very different energy. Delegates felt more confident, more united, and more informed. Members of Congress were more knowledgeable than ever before about Ukraine’s defense technologies, sanctions policy, and humanitarian crises.

Even under the pressure of a government shutdown, lawmakers and staff took the time to listen – and many were ready to act.

There is still immense work ahead, but this Summit made something clear:

And every conversation brings Ukraine one step closer to victory.

Dignitas Ukraine is proud to be part of this movement – and proud to stand with the hundreds of Americans fighting for a just, secure, and democratic future for Ukraine.