Oksana Artz was making tea at her home in Anchorage. She set the table with a traditional Ukrainian cake made of cottage cheese and topped with homemade jam. Artz moved to Alaska in 2020 but still has family in Poltava, in the central part of Ukraine.
Artz works as an assistant teacher now, and says she doesn’t approve of Putin's visit to Alaska because Ukrainians should be able to participate in conversations about their country.
“We disagree, we completely disagree, to invite to Alaska criminals like Putin,” Artz said. “Right now, they try to decide, without Ukraine, what (is) better for Ukraine”
Trump and Putin’s meeting is expected to focus on Ukraine and is scheduled for Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, though many details remained unclear on Thursday afternoon. Alaska’s Ukrainian population historically has been substantial and has been growing since Russia invaded the country in 2022.
As the meeting between the two leaders approached, Ukrainians in Alaska, including many refugees, were responding with surprise, frustration and hope.
“I'm very hopeful that something good will come of it,” said Zori Opanasevych, who is Ukrainian and leads the Alaska nonprofit Ukraine Relief Program. “That's where we have to be, right? When we're desperate, we have to take on any hope.”
One of the main questions Ukrainians have been asking is why the meeting does not include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump has thrown around ideas about future meetings between Zelenskyy and Putin, but so far, nothing official has been scheduled.
To many Ukrainians, that’s a source of frustration – including for Oleksandr Lushchyk. Lushchyk left Ukraine when he was a child and now lives in Anchorage. He said it is hard to remain hopeful about the outcome of the visit if the country that is being invaded is not included in the conversation.
“I want there to be peace in Ukraine. I want there to be a just resolution in this war, and as soon as possible,” Lushchyk said. “But it's hard for me to believe that this meeting is in good faith when they don't have Zelenskyy at the table.”
Several Ukrainians who spoke for this story said they originally thought the Alaska meeting was a joke and expected it to get canceled.
“Everyone is very surprised it’s in Alaska,” said Svetlana Kravets who works at Catholic Social Services in Delta Junction.
Meanwhile, at least ten protests were planned in communities across the state in solidarity with Ukraine.
An advocacy director for U.S.-based charity organization Razom for Ukraine said that nationally, Ukrainians and Americans have been urging the White House and members of Congress to make sure that whatever comes out of the summit on Friday doesn't include any concessions on Ukraine's part.
Natasha Moroz is Ukrainian and now living in Delta Junction. Speaking in Russian, she said it was still unclear what the meeting would bring, but in recent months conversations between Trump and Putin were followed by even greater violence from Putin in Ukrainian cities.
“Everyone is hoping it will lead to peace, but people are mostly worried it will lead to negative consequences,” Moroz said.
Meanwhile, many Ukrainians in Alaska did not want to speak about the meeting or politics at all. Opanasevych, with the Ukraine Relief Program, said it is common among her clients to try and steer clear from political topics. She says that after facing the brutality of the war, they choose to focus on the life they are building in Alaska and on their efforts to stay here permanently.
“I've spoken to well over 30 people, well over, and all of them are saying the same thing. ‘What difference does it make? It's just a conversation. But I hope with all my heart that this helps and there is some stop to this bloodshed.’”
That also includes Artz, the Anchorage assistant teacher.
“I believe in our victory, but I desperately want not so much blood,” Artz said.
Artz recently started a Ukrainian Social Culture Club. The main goal: to educate people about Ukrainian history and modern life. She said that when Ukrainians sleep, they rarely dream about war. Artz added that she hopes one day soon, she will be able to speak about her country’s rich history without talking about war.
