Jill Biden supports Ukraine at State of the Union address with sunflower embroidered on dress sleeve
Jill Biden found a unique way to honor Ukraine at President Biden's first State of the Union address amid Russia's ongoing invasion.
The first lady attended the State of the Union address on Tuesday night wearing a blue, satin long-sleeved gown from designer Sally LaPointe. Embroidered on one sleeve, near her wrist, was a sunflower — the national flower of Ukraine.
from White House #SOTU2022
'In a sign of support for the Ukrainian people, the FLOTUS has an embroidered appliqué of a sunflower, the national flower of Ukraine, sewn to the sleeve of her dress near her wrist.'— Rob Crilly (@robcrilly) March 2, 2022
. @FLOTUS had the customized sunflower added to her dress earlier today to honor Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/zhnOLN75DW
— Kate Bennett (@KateBennett_DC) March 2, 2022
This isn't the first time the first lady has shown support for Ukraine. Her choice of embroidery comes one day after she wore a white face mask with a sunflower on it at a Black History Month event at the White House. Masks were not required at the State of the Union due to Congress lifting its mandatory mask requirement prior to the event.
While the sunflower has long been the country's national flower, the sunflower gained extra significance as a symbol of resistance this week thanks to a viral video that featured a Ukrainian woman telling Russian soldiers to keep sunflower seeds in their pocket so flowers would grow when they died on Ukrainian land.
In addition to honoring Ukraine symbolically, Biden invited Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, to join her as her guest in the viewing box. Many lawmakers wore yellow and blue, the official colors of Ukraine, to the address, and some waved small Ukrainian flags.
Jill Biden embraces Ukraine’s ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, as the President thanks the ambassador in his State of the Union address pic.twitter.com/PILVKtjonC
— Cliff Levy (@cliffordlevy) March 2, 2022
On Sunday, Biden took to Twitter to express her support to the people of Ukraine.
"Joe and I continue to pray for the brave and proud people of Ukraine," she tweeted. "Our hearts are with our troops and our military families, including those who are stationed throughout Europe demonstrating solidarity with our Allies. We are profoundly grateful for your service."
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