Local Ukrainians usually look on the background of negotiations to end the war

Local news

President Donald Trump’s comments on the Ukraine war and future peace discussions have reverberated throughout the Ukrainian community.

Of Abby Patkin

February 28, 2025 | 7:55 am

4 minutes to read

Three years after Russia launched The widespread -scale invasion of UkraineThe Ukrainian community in Greater Boston is waiting with breathing, against the background of discussions about negotiations to end the war, although with a certain war behind Recent comments from President Donald Trump.

Boston Common was a sea of ​​blue and gold on Sunday as hundreds he rallied in support of Ukrainemarching from the Boston Public Library with flags held by Monday’s anniversary of the invasion of 2022. The event came a few days after Trump falsely blamed Ukraine To start the war and marked the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was elected in 2019, a “dictator without elections. “The 2024 elections in Ukraine were legal put off Due to the state of martial law in progress.

Trump’s comments reverberated throughout the Ukrainian community in Greater Boston, raising red flags after we and Russian leaders met earlier this month to discuss discussions about peace – Without inviting Ukraine.

“Ukraine was attacked; Let’s make no mistake in this regard, ”said Jane Yavarow, parish president at the Orthodox Church St. Andrew Ukrainian from the Jamaica plain. “They were attacked without challenge. Ukraine wants only what the United States has: they want independence, they want freedom, they want democracy. And that’s what I don’t want the invaders. “

Yavarow expressed concern that the US has joined Russia On Monday, when voting against a resolution of the United Nations, which blamed Russia and asked for an immediate withdrawal of his troops.

“People have a short memory,” she said. “We need to remember what the Cold War was and how can this country deal with a dictator who is the product of the Soviet regime?”

For many locals with links with Ukraine, the impact of the ongoing war are peak and have been the armed conflict in 2014.

“We all knew people who moved because of all these events that occur all this time, who lost their homes 10 years ago,” said Andriy Boyko, co-founder and project coordinator at the Ukrainian Cultural Center, one of the organizations behind the Sunday’s meeting. “Who were killed, who were deportedwho lost their business, which have nothing to do with their relatives and so on. And things worse than all this. People continue to die; Our country continues to be destroyed. “

Boyko also questioned the precedent that the US would establish by aligning in Russia and, essentially, giving the nation a “green light” to continue as it was.

“I will tell the Americans, don’t be naive,” he said. “The ocean does not protect us … we. History has taught us about it. “

“If Ukraine stops, Ukraine ends.”

Looking in the future, Yavarow said that Ukraine must have a place at the table for any future negotiations.

“We all want peace; No one wants war, “said Yavarow. “But we must be part of the negotiations and we need everyone to know that we should not give in to the enemy what they have taken from us, what they have taken from Ukraine.”

Trump announced this week that Zelenskyy Will White house On Friday to sign a mineral agreement that will strengthen the economic links between the US and Ukraine. Conformable PrHowever, Zelenskyy asked for security guarantees and said on Wednesday: “It is important that American support is not stopped. Force is necessary on the way to peace. “

This path is obvious, the way Boyko sees it.

“Peace is easy – Russia leaves Ukraine. It was one of the slogans I said during the march from the library to Boston Common, ”he said. “If Putin stops, Russia stops, the war ends. If Ukraine stops, Ukraine ends. As a nation, as a country, as territory, as values. “

Asked if he believes that Ukraine will receive a correct transaction in future peace negotiations, given the actions and rhetoric of the Trump administration, Boyko mentioned the “correct” definitions differ. In a correct transaction for Ukrainians, he said that his family members still live in the country will be able to lead a normal life, “they do not hide every evening of drones, from missiles.”

“What is correct? Correct? Russia leaves Ukraine alone, “said Boyko. “And (The Western World offers a guarantee for Ukraine (it won’t be) not to be appealed again.”

In order to discourage the future attack and to ensure the consequences of broken peace agreements, there must be guarantees that Ukraine’s allies will fight unconditionally and the aggressor will be punished, he clarified in a pursuit.

Looking in the future

Eugene Goncharov from the American Coalition for Ukraine, who helped organize the Boston meeting, claimed that Russia has a decades. Trange Ruifer promises.

“No one wants peace more than Ukrainians,” Goncharov said in an interview through E -mail. “Every Ukrainian has lost someone in this war. But there must be a correct peace with security guarantees, otherwise it will not last. “

He said that Ukrainians will ultimately join NATO – a request that Trump and his administration PACKING.

“It is not just about making the world a better and more fair place,” said Goncharov, noting both experience and experience The size of the Ukraine’s army.

“He is the strongest land army in Europe and would strengthen any alliance,” he said. “With Ukraine from NATO, the US can pivot its forces and resources in Europe, knowing that combined armies in Europe and Ukraine will ensure that Russia will not succeed in a new invasion of Europe.”

Goncharov thanked the US for his military support throughout the war, adding that the Ukrainians “fight for freedom and loved ones and will continue to defend their right to be safe and independent of Russia.”

The stake is high, Yavarow agreed.

“Indeed, it is a struggle not only Ukraine towards Russia, but I would say independent democratic countries from authoritarian regimes,” she said.