Thoughts on Ukraine, by Brian Abate

Before the February 24th Russian invasion of Ukraine, I really didn’t know too much about Ukraine. Even though the war has been going on since 2014 and I have family members who are originally from Lviv (one of the biggest cities in Ukraine), I didn’t know anything about the history of the country or the gruesome details of the battles already taking place there.

After February 24th, I remember listening to the news and reading articles about the war every day, and the vast majority of “experts” seemed to think that Ukraine would fall within a matter of days and Russia would quickly reach Kyiv (the capital.)

I quickly learned that those “experts” severely underestimated the will and spirit of the Ukrainian people, who have pushed back the Russian troops and done an amazing job fighting back against a much more powerful military. People with no military experience have taken up arms to fight for their country and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky refused to leave his country despite numerous attempts by the Russian military to assassinate him. The courage of the Ukrainian people amazes me.

Since the February 24th invasion, I’ve attended many fundraisers for Ukraine, spent a lot of time in the East Village (the Ukrainian section of New York City), and visited the Ukrainian Museum and the Ukrainian Institute of America.

I’ve learned a lot about the history of Ukraine, and I’ve learned that this current invasion is just the latest in a long history of Russian attacks on Ukraine.

I’ve also gotten a chance to listen to live Ukrainian music and poetry readings and to learn about traditional artwork (I especially enjoyed seeing how Ukrainian Easter eggs are made.) I’ve also eaten at many Ukrainian restaurants and realized that I love a lot of Ukrainian foods including pierogies and goulash. I enjoyed eating at Varenyk House, Veselka, Streetcha, and several others.

My favorite part of learning about Ukraine and its culture has been meeting a lot of great people. I’ve been to the East Village, the Upper East Side, Queens, and various parts of Brooklyn, and all of the people I’ve met have been kind and very appreciative of the Ukrainian section of the newspaper. I’m proud to say my workplace and my home are filled with Ukrainian flags, artwork, and souvenirs.

I’m thankful that I’ve been able to meet so many great people but it has also been difficult to see these people hurting because their country is fighting for its freedom and because they have family and friends in Ukraine who aren’t safe right now.

I’ve also learned from them that Ukraine has a lot more in common with the United States than I had initially realized. The Ukrainians are fighting for democracy and for their freedom, just like so many Americans have done throughout the course of the country’s history.

I think that as members of the media, we must continue covering what’s happening in Ukraine, and as Americans, we need to continue helping Ukraine in various ways such as supporting local businesses and restaurants, attending events, and making donations.

Even the small things, like shopping at a Ukrainian store, eating at a Ukrainian restaurant, or donating a few dollars can make a difference and those little things will eventually add up.

I don’t believe this war should have ever happened in the first place but I do believe that Ukraine will be victorious in the end. Slava Ukraini!