16 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 6-12, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Standing Alone Even Ukrainians who disagree with Zelenskyy’s policies are glad he didn’t back down to Trump. By Jared Goyette FORUM In a corner of Kyiv’s artsy Podil district on Sunday night, March 2, Les Yakymchuk—a 32-year-old musician and founder of UA First Aid, an NGO that provides medical supplies to military units at the Ukrainian front—organized an event in the aftermath of what he describes as the “shitshow” press conference. Two days prior, U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy, as the world witnessed, did not play along. The press conference sent shock waves through Ukrainian civil society, where the reaction was almost universally a mix of support, anger and fear—support, mostly, for how Zelenskyy handled the situation; anger at Trump and the U.S.; and fear over what was once unthinkable: that the U.S. could completely abandon Ukraine as the fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion enters its third year. The party in Podil was dimly lit, with purple and pink fluorescent lights meant to convey a “trippy” vibe to capture the surrealness of the moment for Ukrainians. “I don’t know what can happen next. The old world is dying, and I wanted to make sure I could see all these people again because I will probably be drafted soon,” Yakymchuk said. What did happen next might have confirmed Yakymchuk’s worst fears: The Trump administration paused all military aid to Ukraine. For some progressive Ukrainians and their allies, the press conference came with a few silver linings. It showed on live TV how nakedly aggressive and neocolonial Trump’s approach to Ukraine has become, giving Europe a clear signal that it may need to do more. Denys Pilash, an activist with Social Movement/Sotsialniy Rukh and an editor with leftist journal Commons/Spilne, said he was glad Zelenskyy refused to back down in the White House. “Pandering to the likes of Trump and Musk only reiterates their self-perception as ‘geniuses and saviors,’” he said. “Finally, someone said aloud, ‘the emperor has no clothes,’ right in front of the emperor himself.” Dr. Yuliya Yurchenko, a professor at the University of Greenwich and also a contributor to Commons, highlights another plus: The flareup at least temporarily prevented a mineral rights deal between the nations. “What exactly was lost? Opportunity to become [an American] colony? No thanks. Zelenskyy was right to refuse humiliating and vassal conditions,” Yurchenko says. Back at the electronic music “End of the Old World” party in Podil, 27-year-old Antasia is sprawled on a beanbag. She recently enlisted as a combat medic, and the party is a chance to say goodbye to her friends and community before she leaves for basic training. She says what happened between Trump and Zelenskyy reinforced her decision to join: “It’s simple, I believe in our soldiers, in our government, in our Army. And I have hope.” Jared Goyette is the English-language editor of The Ukrainians Media and a freelancer based in Kyiv. Oleksandra Diachenko helped report this story as a translator and fixer. This story was previously published in The Nation. OPINION “Finally, someone said, ‘the emperor has no clothes.’” ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES Stop By To Shop And Find Your Vintage Treasure OVER 100 DEALERS 21,000 SQUARE FEET The Largest Antiques and Collectibles Mall on the Central Coast 471 WAVE STREET MONTEREY (831) 655-0264 P M canneryrowantiquemall.com Open Daily 11am-6pm ’24 Voted Monterey County's Best Antique Shop ♦ 3 Card Poker ♠ Century 21st No Bust Black Jack ♣ Texas Hold’em ♥ Baccarat FULL BAR! BLACKJACK BONUS POINTS PAYS UP TO $20,000 SMALL TOWN BIG PAYOUTS! 1-800-Gambler • Gega-003846, Gega-Gega-003703, Gega-000889 Gega-000891 Gega-002838 The Marina Club Casino ensures the safety and security of all guests and team members at all times, while providing exceptional service. 204 Carmel Ave. Marina 831-384-0925 casinomonterey.com ♠ ♣ ♥ ♦ Just minutes from Downtown Monterey Where Monterey Comes To Play
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