Cactus + Tryzub

08/07/2026

Explore and support petitions about Ukraine on Change.org. Discover what people care about and take action on causes that matter. Be a part of the change today.

07/23/2026

"We are grateful, really grateful for the United States letting us in and helping us to stay safe. But at the same time, we desperately need a change in this system. We need to understand what is going to happen to us," - Anna Ivashchenko

https://www.kjzz.org/politics/2026-07-22/tps-status-for-ukrainian-refugees-in-u-s-will-expire-this-fall-theyre-worried-about-whats-next

Thank you to Phil Latzman of KJZZ Phoenix for conveying urgency in providing a path to lawful stay and work authorization in the United States for Ukrainians.

In a major decision last month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration, allowing the Department of Homeland Security to end Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of refugees from Haiti and Syria, who may now be forced to leave the country.

07/20/2026

Our first podcast episode is here!

We’re excited to introduce Sunflowers & Saguaros: A Podcast Between Arizona & Ukraine—a new podcast dedicated to strengthening the bridge between Arizona and Ukraine, one conversation at a time.

Hosted by Olya Johnson and Andrew Ripley, this podcast shares the stories of the people who live between these two worlds. Through conversations with veterans, artists, refugees, educators, community leaders, and more, we’ll explore the history, culture, traditions, humor, and human connections that unite our communities.

New episodes will be released on the second-to-last Tuesday of every month, so be sure to follow along—you won't want to miss what's coming next.

Episode 1: An Arizonan and a Ukrainian Walk into a Podcast

In our debut episode, Olya and Andrew share the very different journeys that brought them to Arizona—and ultimately to the same microphone. Together, they reflect on identity, community, friendship, and the experiences that inspired this podcast.

This isn’t simply a podcast about war. It’s about the people behind the headlines, the cultures that shape us, and the relationships that remind us we’re more connected than we often realize.

Now available on all major platforms, including YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sunflowers-saguaros-a-podcast-between-arizona-ukraine/id6792342561?i=1000777354030
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033RIkwO9WhCj4NV1fSOvl?si=ERb0hNAhSFqVWV8JGipdbQ&utm_source=copy-link

Whether you have Ukrainian roots, call Arizona home, or simply want to learn more, we invite you to join the conversation.

Thank you for listening and supporting this new journey. This is our podcast, and yours too!

07/14/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Bnva7wrN5/?mibextid=wwXIfr

07/12/2026

We are grateful to Phil Latzman of KJZZ for the opportunity to provide commentary on President Trump approving licensing Patriot interceptors to Ukraine

🇺🇸🇺🇦

Ukrainians in Arizona say their country is defenseless and are urging immediate action from the state’s congressional delegation — to maintain American military and economic support.

07/05/2026

Do you plan to vote in 2026 midterm primary elections? Get to know your Arizona candidates and their position on Ukraine. We prepared a Ukraine foreign policy questionnaire that was sent out to all candidates. Participation results are listed below.

Questionnaire.
1. NATO & Collective Security
Do you support continued U.S. commitment to NATO and its role in deterring Russian expansionism in Europe?

2. Defensive Military Aid
Russia has conducted large-scale missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, destroying critical infrastructure and repeatedly plunging millions of civilians into darkness, cold, and uncertainty. Do you support continued U.S. provision of defensive weapons to Ukraine, such as air and missile defense systems that are designed to provide non-lethal protection from Russian drones and missiles?

3. Future Capabilities / Deep-Strike
During his lame-duck period, President Biden allowed Ukrainian forces to preventively strike airfields on Russian territory with U.S.-made weapons. President Trump has signaled support for providing Ukraine greater long-range weaponry, but has not been known to have done so. Would you support the U.S. providing Ukraine longer-range strike capabilities to deter attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure?

4. Frozen Russian Assets
Since invading Ukraine in 2022, American banks have frozen around ~$5 billion in Russian sovereign assets. In 2024, Congress passed the REPO Act, which authorized the interest from those assets to be seized and placed in an account to support Ukraine’s reconstruction. Do you support implementing the REPO Act?

5. Negotiations & U.S. Role
Should the U.S. be involved in negotiations to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, provided Ukraine is involved in the process?

6. Protection for Ukrainians in the U.S.
Do you support extending and strengthening protections (e.g., lawful status and work authorization) for Ukrainians admitted under U4U and other humanitarian parole programs?

7. Territorial Integrity of Ukraine
To which country does Crimea belong to?

8. Foreign Policy Forum
Are you open to participating in a Foreign Policy Forum with other 2026 Arizona candidates?

Overall participation in the survey across all AZ districts was 18%. Results are published and will be updated as more data comes in here:

https://www.cactusandtryzub.com/know-your-2026-candidate




Cactus and Tryzub would like to thank Julian Hayda for his guidance, Noah D'Oria and Vance Fulton for initiating the project and collecting the data, and Arthur Nemirovskiy for compiling and organizing the results.