Protestors gathered in front of the Embassy of the Russian Federation on Friday evening calling for an immediate end to President Vladimir Putin’s military invasion of Ukraine.

The crowd held banners with messages like ‘Ukraine we are with you’, ‘No Third World War’ and ‘Disconnect SWIFT’, a reference to the widely used global interbank payment system.

Members of Malta’s Ukrainian community sang the Ukraine national anthem and made impassioned speeches about the realities their family members and friends are currently facing back home.

One woman urged the Maltese public to share as much information as they can, and to donate money to help the Ukrainian forces defend the embattled country. Maltese media were also urged to report on the war as much as possible.

Others warned of the possibility of a wider conflict with Russia, saying today it is Ukraine but “tomorrow it is Europe”.

“The EU did nothing in 2014 and aren’t doing anything now,” one speaker told the crowd. “It’s all talk.”

Members of the community urged the public to donate money to Ukrainian forces through the National Bank of Ukraine’s website: bank.gov.ua.

The gathering was organized by six Maltese civil society organisations: The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, SOS Malta, Integra Foundation, Aditus Foundation, Jesuit Refugee Services Malta and Repubblika.