It has been 421 days since Russian troops have invaded Ukraine, with over 42,295 people losing their lives in the war effort, reporter name reported for Reuters. 

After the initial invasion of Ukraine, calls for help were heard and answered throughout the world. These initial efforts of relief went a long way to support the Ukrainian struggle. But now, over a year later, support for the Russia-Ukraine war has dulled. 

For months, images of Ukrainian resistance and heroism plastered the fronts of newspapers and websites, providing updates on the war effort at every possible moment. Government organizations such as UNICEF scrambled to help Ukrainians who had been caught in the crisis and aid soldiers in the war effort. On an economic front, many European and North American countries enacted powerful sanctions on Russian goods. In Glenview and towns throughout the United States, blue and yellow Ukrainian flags were displayed outside peoples’ homes, cars, and businesses. Even at South, fundraisers such as JAMNESTY emerged to show support.

The war has reached a stalemate, with neither side in a position for a viable outright military victory, Julian E. Barnes, Helene Cooper, and Eric Schmitt reported for The New York Times. For civilians caught in the crossfire, this means more bloodshed and suffering, with many already lacking proper shelter, power, and resources. While at the beginning of the war there seemed to be an endless amount of support for Ukrainian citizens, apparently as time has gone on, the world moved on and found new things to talk about. 

While the war had the majority of Ukrainian public support in the early months, polls report that western war fatigue has held back Americans’ willingness to shelter the consequences that come with the continued support of Ukraine in the war effort, a study from the University of Maryland found. The study reports that polls regarding Americans willingness to shelter inflation, high gas prices, and potential deployment of U.S troops have significantly dropped by as much as ten points. This shows Americans are not as willing to support the prolonged war effort as they once had been.

As the war has dragged on, our world has grown desensitized and fatigued from hearing constant news of death and impending crisis. While it can be difficult to listen to melancholy news day after day, it is important to remain informed on the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

There needs to be a re-engagement in the war effort, which starts by the American public continuing to keep updated on the news and understanding the development of the war effort. Additionally, it is important to continue to support relief organizations that will aid Ukrainian refugees and soldiers.

The Ukraine-Russia war is far from over. Now is not the time to rest.