European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke about Oleksandra Pascal and her 'Dance of Freedom' world tour during her annual State of the European Union address. Pascal, who lost a leg to a Russian missile strike but returned to sports with a prosthesis, was present in the European Parliament in Strasbourg and was hailed by MEPs as an example of Ukrainian resilience.

The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation organized Oleksandra's 'Dance of Freedom' world tour this summer, with performances in Paris, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Nairobi, and Tokyo. Von der Leyen stated that Pascal's story of overcoming injury from a Russian missile strike to excel in sports is an inspiration, and that Russia's attacks on Ukrainian cities constitute a deliberate strategy of terror.