Photo Essay: Lawmakers Wear Blue and Yellow at State of the Union to Show Support for Ukraine 

A bipartisan group of lawmakers wore blue and yellow clothes and pins and flew Ukrainian flags at President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address on Tuesday evening to show support for Ukraine after Russia invaded the country last week.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), seated behind Biden, wore a blue dress and had an interlaced U.S.-Ukraine flag pin attached to her dress. House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) wore a pin and pocket square with Ukrainian colors.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) wore a blue and yellow pin “to honor Ukraine and the bravery of the Ukrainian citizens, military, and government.”

At the State of the Union tonight, I will be wearing a blue and yellow pin to honor Ukraine and the bravery of the Ukrainian citizens, military, and government as they fight off a brutal dictator. pic.twitter.com/fkDtSneZSC

— Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (@CongressmanRaja) March 2, 2022

Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) and other members pinned blue and yellow ribbons to their clothes “in a show of solidarity with Ukraine.”

Tonight, Members of Congress will wear these ribbons in a show of solidarity with Ukraine. Slava Ukraini #SOTU pic.twitter.com/UkiCheuvQt

— Mike Quigley (@RepMikeQuigley) March 1, 2022

U.S. Ambassador Rufus Gifford wore a tie with Ukraine’s colors and tweeted that “it just seemed like the right call to wear blue and yellow.” “I can’t stop thinking about the unprovoked and needless death and suffering,” Gifford added.

I’ll be heading to the Capitol to hear our President speak to the world as he delivers his State of the Union address.

And it just seemed like the right call to wear blue and yellow. I can’t stop thinking about the unprovoked and needless death and suffering. 🇺🇸🇺 pic.twitter.com/oFeUJvd9ri

— Rufus Gifford (@rufusgifford) March 1, 2022

Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA) shared a photo to Twitter of her and six other members wearing blue and yellow before Biden’s speech started.

We’re about to head in for @POTUS's first #SOTU! Looking forward to hearing his plan to protect democracy at home & abroad, reduce costs for working families, and continue our safe transition back to normal thanks to the tools we have to fight #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/qp4YLLHAvj

— Congresswoman Lori Trahan (@RepLoriTrahan) March 2, 2022

“Tonight, I’m wearing blue and yellow at the #SOTU to stand together with the people of Ukraine,” tweeted Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA).

Tonight, I’m wearing blue and yellow at the #SOTU to stand together with the people of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/kIeBnNPd3g

— Rep. Elaine Luria (@RepElaineLuria) March 2, 2022

Many members waved handheld Ukrainian flags that Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), co-chair of Congress’s Ukraine and Ukrainian American Caucus, reportedly handed out on the House floor.

Ukrainian-born Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN) wore a yellow dress with a blue blazer to support her birthplace. Additionally, first lady Jill Biden wore blue and invited Ukraine’s U.S. ambassador, Oksana Markarova, to the State of the Union address.

Color-coding to send a political message has become more prevalent at the State of the Union addresses after some female Democrat lawmakers wore white during former President Donald Trump’s annual addresses.