Photos: Hundreds rally in Boston to mark 3 years since Russia's invasion in Ukraine

Hundreds rallied in downtown Boston Sunday to mark the three years since Russia invaded Ukraine and call for continued U.S. support for the Ukrainian war effort.

Protesters held blue and yellow Ukrainian flags and chanted "Stand with Ukraine! Stand for freedom!" and "Make Russia pay!" as they marched from from the Boston Public Library to the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common.

Local elected leaders spoke in support of the war effort at the bandstand. Democratic state Rep. Mike Kushmerek criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin in remarks during the rally.

" For those of us who live in a democratic free world, we'd like to think that there are those who would still fight for us. Not just here in America, but around the world," said Kushmerek. "And each and every day, it is the armed forces of Ukraine and the people of Ukraine that are fighting for the whole world."

The U.S. has supported Ukraine since Russia's February 2022 assault, siding with the besieged nation and America's allies in the European Union. But President Trump has changed the tone coming from the White House recently, engaging more directly Putin. Trump recently blamed Ukraine for Russia's invasion.

Last week, senior officials from the U.S. and Russia met in Saudi Arabia to discuss how to end the war without any representatives from Kyiv or the European Union. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his country would not recognize any agreements made without its participation.

Local Democratic leaders have have criticized the administration's approach, as have members of the Ukrainian community in Greater Boston.