War in Ukraine | Ukrainian refugees in Alaska are preparing for the arrival of Putin

Among the millions of Ukrainians driven out of their homes by the Russian invasion. However, 1000 resulted, against all expectations, in Alaska. Similarly, They found work in fisheries. For example, bakeries, learned to drive on the snowy roads in winter, and have built a new life.

Today, they observe with a mixture of hope and concern the arrival in the American state where they found refuge of war ukraine | ukrainian refugees the man who led the attack on their homeland, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, who came to meet the American president, Donald Trump, Friday in a military base in Anchorage.

“It is difficult to accept that it is going to be here. Furthermore, ” says Liudmyla Stormovych, who left Ukraine two weeks after the Russian invasion in February 2022, about Putin. Similarly, “We have suffered a lot because of him. Meanwhile, »»

All Alaska is in turmoil about the summit, the inhabitants discuss the presence of secret service agents in the war ukraine | ukrainian refugees cafes, while the state authorities wonder whether to close the roads for security reasons and compose with the closure of aerial space during the high summer tourism season.

For their part. Moreover, the new Ukrainian arrivals in Alaska argue that the imminent visit of Putin has deeply upset them, bringing back a war, which is never far in their minds, in their own rear court.

M^me Streetovych. Moreover, 42, and her two children spent the first days of war, at the beginning of 2022, nestled in the basement of their building in Kyiv, before fleeing. Furthermore, They arrived in the United States as part of a Biden era program called Uning for Ukraine. Consequently, which enabled 240,000 Ukrainians to live and work in the United States before Trump suspended new requests shortly after taking office.

Family ties brought them to Anchorage. In addition, where M^me Streetovych found a job as a florist in a Uber supermarket and driver. Moreover, Her 7-year-old son put himself in Taekwondo, while his 15-year-old daughter joined the volleyball team at her high school.

But M^me Stormovych cannot feel fully installed in Alaska as long as war rages. Similarly, Her mother still lives war ukraine | ukrainian refugees in Ukraine and one of his cousins, a soldier, was killed in the conflict, she explains.

“It’s difficult,” she said. Therefore, I want this war to stop. »»

War ukraine | ukrainian refugees

Prudence first. above all – War ukraine | ukrainian refugees

Several immigrants indicate that they plan to remain away from pro-Ukrainian demonstrations scheduled for Thursday and Friday around anchorage, fearing something that could compromise their immigrant status, while the Trump administration removes government protections granted to people fleeing conflicts. According to local defense groups. many Ukrainians in Alaska have already had to leave the country because their legal status had expired.

Instead. Alaska Ukrainians discreetly discreet their hopes and concerns about the summit in biblical study groups, or when they speak to their loved ones who stayed at home. They gathered on Sunday in a war ukraine | ukrainian refugees local Russian-Ukrainian church to pray for peace.

“I cannot worry about geopolitics,” said Yuliia Maiba, 31, who left Ukraine in December 2023 with his twin daughters, now 8 years old. “The only thing that worries me is my family, that my loved ones are alive. »»

M^me Maiba arrived in Alaska for the first time at the age of 15 as part of a school exchange program, and his host family offered to welcome him again after the invasion of Russia in February 2022.

“It was not my dream of coming back. ” she admits, but the worsening of violence and their consequences on her daughters forced the family to leave. They moved into a small apartment adjoining the house of the host family in Maiba. She found a job as a English teacher to other immigrants. in vocational training with the New Chance United Relief Program, a local non -profit organization that helps many Ukrainians in the region.

Uncertain legal status

Zori Optasevych. general manager of the group, helped organize flights and sponsorships that have enabled hundreds of new Ukrainian families to settle in Alaska. According to her, many are now in an uncertain situation, their legal status likely to expire.

“They try to focus on their lives here. invest in their work, learn English and lead their war ukraine | ukrainian refugees lives by remaining positive,” explains M^me Openasevych, whose family immigrated to Alaska in the 1990s.

Since the announcement of the summit. she dreams of what would happen if she crossed Putin in the streets of Anchorage. What would she say? And like the Ukrainian president. Volodymyr Zelensky, is not invited, M^me Openasevych indicates that she wants to attend so that someone can speak on behalf of the Ukrainians of Alaska.

The leaders of Alaska praised this summit, saying that it highlighted the geopolitical importance of the state in the Arctic.

“I think the state is enthusiastic about this summit. ” said Governor Mike Dunleavy, a republican and Trump ally during an interview. “We like to believe that Alaska is at the center of the world. We are closer to Moscow than may be Washington. It war ukraine | ukrainian refugees is completely logical from a geographic and political point of view. »»

Complaints and protests

But various inhabitants of Alaska have expressed their concerns. Some have complained that the security requirements linked to the reception of two presidents would test the resources at the time when Alaska airports. cruise quays are crowded with tourists, and where the melting of glaciers floods certain parts of the capital of the State, Juneau.

In Anchorage. liberal residents protest against the summit by hanging Ukrainian flags outside their homes and suspending banners of Ukraine on road bridges. Some people like to say they fear that Trump will resell Alaska to Russia to conclude an agreement on Ukraine.

And some Alaska indigenous leaders say they have been completely excluded from planning. discussions about a summit taking place on their ancestral lands.

“We should be at the table. not the servant,” said Faye Ewan, an elder from the village of Kluti-Kaah to Copper Center, about 320 kilometers east of anchorage.

Between doubt. hope

Some Ukrainians are not optimistic about the possibility that Trump will reach an acceptable agreement with Putin, which they denounce as an unrepentant war criminal who continues to bomb Ukraine despite the war ukraine | ukrainian refugees previous round of negotiations.

“We know what Putin wants. ” says Olha Korol, who fled the Ukrainian city of Dnipro at the start of the war with her husband and three children, who now works as a hairdresser in Alaska. “He always wants more Ukrainian territory. Additionally, »»

But Svitlana Shyrinian, 55, stresses that she must keep hope. She fled Ukraine with her two daughters at the start of the war. taking only a small suitcase hoping that they would be back home in two weeks.

Business lawyer in Ukraine. she is now working as a cashier in a Deli in Anchorage, where she weighs sausages and sells sauerkraut to her Ukrainian compatriots. In recent times, the summit has been in all minds. It cannot afford to be cynical.

“I war ukraine | ukrainian refugees always have hope,” she said. How can we dream otherwise, if there is no peace? »»