Calgary's Ukrainian community rallies after Trump-Zelenskyy clash
'Today's rally was very critical because what happened in the Oval Office': organizer
Hundreds of people rallied at Calgary's Municipal Plaza Sunday in the wake of a heated exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President and Vice-President Donald Trump and JD Vance at the White House on Friday.
Roman Yosyfiv, president of the Calgary branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, says Sunday's rally was especially important because of how crucial it is that Ukraine continues to receive support from powerful nations like the United States.
"This is the DNA of Ukrainians. If something happens, they want to get together and support each other. Even we are miles away from Ukraine," he said.
Yosyfiv adds the rally was also an opportunity to show gratitude to Canada for taking in so many refugees from Ukraine after the invasion began.
"We appreciate [you] for hosting us here, helping us. I have been enough in Canada to call Canada my home. But for those who just came, Canada became a safe place for their families and kids."
Iryna Musiienko, who attended the rally, came to Canada from Ukraine in 2022, fleeing Russia's invasion of her country.
She says the fact that Ukraine is still battling Russian forces years later is baffling, and hopes for a swift end to the war.
"My heart brought me here, like everyone else who is here now," Musiienko said.
"I came here to support my country. I came here to support my homeland. I came here to [stand] with Ukraine."
WATCH | Trump, Vance, Zelenskyy clash in the Oval Office:
Musiienko says the exchange between Zelenskyy and the leaders of the United States made her feel isolated from the rest of the world.
"My opinion is that Trump, he's scared of Russian President [Vladimir Putin] and that's why he is trying to fight and put the pressure on our president, Zelenskyy," she said. "And I'm really proud of my president and my country."
Pavlo Karach came to Canada in 2022. He says he normally doesn't attend rallies, but as tensions rose between Ukraine and the U.S. following Friday's row at the White House, he felt obligated to show up in solidarity with his community.
"Ukraine was humiliated publicly, and I think it's not right. We have to show that you cannot humiliate [an entire] nation in front of the whole world like this … I felt like I needed to come and see other Ukrainians," he said.
Karach said coming together with his peers lifted his spirits, and made him feel optimistic about the future.
Rally-goer Yulia Pashchuk came to Canada in 2012. She says it warmed her heart to see hundreds of people gather in Calgary to support her country.
She adds watching the tense argument between Zelenskyy, Trump and Vance on Friday made her angry.
"It's such a disgrace. I couldn't believe [it,] how is this happening? It's the highest level of politics — it looked like high school bullying," Pashchuk said.
"But every time I see something like this that triggers a response from people, I think, 'Wow.' I think it fuels people to fight harder."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Brendan Coulter