Amid tumultuous global politics, Ukrainian students at Emory University hang onto every news update, cognizant of the consequences that new developments could have on their families and the region.
On Feb. 28, an Oval Office meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump turned into a shouting match, causing uncertainty about the two countries’ diplomatic relationship. The encounter between Trump and Zelensky comes three years into the war in Ukraine, which began after Russian troops invaded eastern Ukraine under the direction of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Since the war began, the United States has given Ukraine almost $200 billion in military aid, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. Last week, Zelensky visited the White House to sign a minerals and defense agreement with the United States, but the hostile meeting led to a hold-up in peace and mineral rights negotiations, causing some Ukrainian students to grow increasingly worried about their country’s future.
Mary Kravchenko (28C), a student from Vyshneve, Ukraine, said her “heart is in pain” for Ukraine and her family.
“It’s just been a lot of uncertainty, a lot of worries,” Kravchenko said. “I really can’t do anything with it because I cannot impact [the United States’] politics in any way.”
Kravchenko fled Ukraine when she was 16 due to the war and said she worries daily about her family’s safety.
“They are unsafe every day, and I’m really worried about their life and safety,” Kravchenko said. “This situation between U.S. and Ukraine — it’s been very alarming to me.”
Kravchenko added that the fears of the average Ukrainian are missing from media coverage of the war.
“The news talks about what Ukraine and U.S. and other countries have to do, but it never talks about Ukraine’s safety, and this is what I’m worried about as a Ukrainian citizen,” Kravchenko said. “As a person whose family is in Ukraine, I want peace.”
Mariia Sukhomlinova (28C) said she feels a “psychological” distance between her and her family due to the war. She expressed that it is difficult for her to fully grasp what her family and friends in Ukraine are going through.
“I don’t want to reach out [to my best friend in Ukraine] and sound ungrateful,” Sukhomlinova said. “I don’t want to call her and be like, ‘I have so much homework I have to do,’ and her having to respond with, ‘Yeah, you get to go to college.’”
While individuals wrestle with the state of foreign affairs, nations continue to try and navigate the delicate diplomatic situation. At the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly on Feb. 24, the United States sided with Russia in voting against a Ukrainian resolution that demanded Russia withdraw its troops from Ukraine. Despite this, the assembly approved the resolution 93-18.
Valentyna Burlaka (27C) said she is “enraged” at the turnaround in support, calling the United States’ recent actions a “betrayal” to Ukraine.
The recent U.N. vote highlights the United States’ policy shift from unwavering Ukrainian support under former U.S. President Joe Biden to a more uncertain approach under Trump.
Associate Professor of History Matthew Payne called Trump’s recent press conference with Zelensky a “clown show” and said that the United States siding with Russia against most of the U.N. was surprising, “even for the Trump administration.”
Nataliia Zelinska (27C) said she worried about the current administration “abandon[ing] Ukraine” and hoped Americans would be “more vocal” in their support on account of their shared principles.
“The values of democracy and freedom are as important to Ukrainians as they are to Americans,” Zelinska said.
Zelinska acknowledged the new “unpredictability” compared to the previous administration's unwavering support and said the general worry about the future has impacted her. However, she is trying to focus on what she can do to not panic and emphasized that it’s crucial to keep Ukraine in “daily conversation.”
Payne cautioned about an excess of “instant experts” and wanted to remind students not to fall victim to “disinformation and misinformation” online.
In addition, Payne urged students to remember that the Russian government is perpetuating this war, not its people, and that there are many Russians who disapprove of Putin’s governance.
“I understand that there’s tension between Ukrainian students and Russian students because of what's happening in Ukraine,” Payne said. “But that’s the saddest thing for me because before this war, they really were neighbors and really were interconnected cultures that had a lot in common.”
Burlaka expressed gratitude for the support and understanding she has received from the Emory community.
“A lot of students here at Emory, they are knowledgeable about what’s going on in the world,” Burlaka said. “I do feel this personally. I do feel the support as being an Emory student.”
Burlaka founded the Ukraine Solidarity Association at Emory with her peers and expects it to be chartered soon. She said that current events regularly affect her social interactions.
“As an Emory student, I’m doing everything I can,” Burlaka said. “As a Ukrainian, I feel like it’s not enough.”
Kimble Schiller (she/her) (26Ox,28C) is from Houston, Texas and is majoring in economics and philosophy, politics and law. Outside of the Wheel, she can be found studying, hiking, writing for fun, or spending time with friends.
