Some 5,000 Ukrainian-Americans live in Sarasota County’s biggest city. Many are disappointed by Steube and Trump.
Johannes Werner
Original Air Date: Feb. 21, 2025
Host: President Donald Trump has called for the annexation of Canada and Greenland, and his administration now seems to be threatening Mexico with military action. Also, he and his administration are pressing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to the negotiation table with Russia. That nation invaded its smaller neighbor two years ago, now occupies a good chunk of its territory, and probably expects Ukraine to accept that as a fact in any peace talks.
North Port is not only Sarasota County’s biggest city, it is home to an estimated 5,000 Ukrainian immigrants. Most of them are not pleased, says one local community organizer.
Johannes Werner: Sarasota Congressman Greg Steube, speaking on ABC News yesterday, supported the Trump administration’s efforts to press Zelenskiy into peace talks with Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
ABC News interviews Sarasota Congressman Greg Steube.
Greg Steube: Well, certainly Zelenskiy going after Trump doesn’t win friends and influence people. I mean, we’ve given over hundreds of billions of dollars—American taxpayer dollars—to Ukraine, and you’re going to criticize President Trump? That’s probably not the best decision for you to make as the leader of Ukraine. I don’t see a path where there’s going to be more money that’s going to be issued from Congress and from the White House to help Ukraine, so the best thing for President Zelenskiy to do is to join in these talks with the United States and try to reach some type of peace agreement. That’s what President Trump has asked him to do, that’s what Marco Rubio has asked him to do, that’s what our leadership has asked him to do, and I would think that would be the best direction for President Zelenskiy to go.
Dictator? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Photo via ZUMA Press.
JW: Trump has said it was Ukraine that started the war, and he calls Zelenskiy a “dictator.”
Ihor Hron is dismayed. He came to the United States as a child after World War 2. He also is a U.S. Army veteran, and was the national commander of Ukrainian American Veterans. Now he lives in North Port, and his response to Steube is measured but clear.
Ihor Hron: He has continuously, right from the beginning, been a vocal opponent of assisting Ukraine, so those comments are not surprising. It’s unfortunate that he feels that way, but that’s his opinion. About President Trump, I think it’s very difficult for me to understand how President Trump can come out and say that Ukraine attacked Russia—that they started the war—when, in February of 2022, President Putin at that time said of course they’re not going to attack, and while he was speaking, the Russians were dropping paratroopers into Kyiv, had tanks on the roads coming to attack Ukraine. The lies just befuddle me—that anybody who is well-educated understands foreign policy—understands geography, diplomacy—would agree with the comment that Ukraine attacked Russia. It’s beyond my comprehension.
Ihor Hron.
JW: Ihor Hron believes Ukraine has no other choice but to hold the line against Russia and Vladimir Putin.
IH: Unfortunately, the latest U.S. request or demand that Ukraine hand over 50 percent of its vital minerals—I don’t think that’s going to work. The bulk of those minerals are held in the eastern part of Ukraine that has been in the hands of the Russians probably since about 2014 or a little later. Ukraine will continue to fight. They have said very clearly they will not acquiesce to what Russia and the United States decides at the, quote, “peace conference” or “peace table.” Ukraine must be a viable partner in that discussion. There’s no other way that it makes—the United States has to hold Russia accountable for the billions of dollars’ worth of damage that has occurred in Ukraine.
Protesters in North Port have shown support for Ukraine since the Russian invasion in 2022.
Hron believes the bulk of the Ukrainian community is pretty much in alignment with his position.
IH: Do I speak for the community? No. I speak for myself, but I would be amazed if my words or my sentiments would not be parroted by the bulk of the Ukrainian-American community.
JW: A protest against Trump’s Ukraine policies is planned for March 1 in North Port. The event is set to begin at 5 p.m. at the corner of U.S. 41 and Biscayne. Hron expects a good turnout.
IH: We had those protests early on when the war started, and between 100, 150—closer to 200 at one time.
JW: In response to our inquiry, Greg Steube’s office in Washington provided a written statement that blames the Biden administration failures.
“Not only has this led to a prolonged war, but Zelensky can’t even keep track of the more than $100 billion of aid that the Biden-Harris administration allocated for the war. We are here today because Biden’s incompetence created and exacerbated this crisis. President Trump will end this war in a responsible manner that delivers peace and security while putting America First.”
Reporting for WSLR News, this is Johannes Werner.
WSLR News aims to keep the local community informed with our 1/2 hour local news show, quarterly newspaper and social media feeds. The local news broadcast airs on Wednesdays and Fridays at 6pm.
IH: Do I speak for the community? No. I speak for myself, but I would be amazed if my words or my sentiments would not be parroted by the bulk of the Ukrainian-American community.