WA’s Ukrainian community ‘disgusted’ but undaunted by Trump rhetoric on three-year anniversary of invasion

Members of WA’s Ukrainian community gathered on Sunday to mark three years since their country was invaded, as alarm grows over Donald Trump’s increasing rhetoric against their nation. About 100 people paid their respects at the City of Stirling War Memorial, honouring the tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians who have died since Russia invaded on February 24, 2022. The moving ceremony followed a watershed week in geopolitics, during which the US President falsely claimed Ukraine started the war and called Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky a dictator. The change in sentiment has alarmed Ukrainians living in Perth, some of whom have fled the war. Speaking to the crowd, United Ukrainians WA chair Andriy Tatisy warned “the old ruling order is rising” and that the US and Russia were “talking behind our backs”. “The result, we also see it here in Australia, with China testing our waters,” Mr Tatisy said. Earlier this week three Chinese naval ships were seen conducting military exercises in the Tasman Sea. Speaking after the ceremony, Mr Tatisy took solace in the support being offered to displaced Ukrainians in WA and said he was “proud” of the Government’s support. “I am Australian, I’m very proud of my country. It supports people who come from Ukraine, who find a new life here,” he said. But he warned that the war was not over and still needed all the support it could get from its ally. Many of the families that had gathered wore the national colours of blue and yellow and carried flags. Some carried sunflowers, the country’s national flower that has become a potent symbol of peace and unity Attendees sung the Ukrainian and Australian national anthems. For some, the ceremony was a painful reminder of the time that had passed. Tetyana Izyumenko, pictured, spoke through tears, revealing said she still felt strong and supported by the community here. She said had been sending medical supplies to Ukraine with the support of local businesses back home. Asked about the Mr Trump’s recent comments, Ms Izyumenko said she felt “disgusted” but had not lost hope. “I don’t lose hope that the world can see where the truth is and that the world will continue to help Ukraine. It doesn’t matter what Trump says, it doesn’t matter what Putin says.” She was joined by her partner and former Fortescue and Rio Tinto executive Greg Lilleyman. “Wrong is wrong no matter where you are around the world. You’ve got to feel for the people there . . . Only the people of Ukraine can decide what’s acceptable,” he said. Iryna Misra, pictured with the “stop war’ sign’, moved with her family from eastern Ukraine to Australia eight years ago after the Russian takeover of Crimea. Ms Misra said she wanted to be in a safe, democratic country. “We had to move to (another) city to save our lives,” she said. Her daughter Natasha, who was eight years old when she moved to Perth, told The West Australian she doesn’t think the US President “understands how it feels to lose your home”. “If it happened to him he would know.” She said it was “very difficult” to leave the country that she knew. “But we are happy, I’m happy I’m here,” she said. Twenty-three year-old Dmytrii Yemets moved from Kyiv to Perth just over a year ago to be with his mother, who is an Australian citizen. “I was lucky enough not to see all of the horrors, almost all of my relatives are still alive,” he said. “I’m very grateful for Australian people and the nation letting me into the country to get myself a safe place to live. I’ve already found myself a job, I’m already going to study (at) TAFE.” On Friday, economist Saul Eslake told The West Australian the shift in the United States’ attitudes raised big questions about Australia’s relationship with the superpower. He said not since Prime Minister John Curtin declared “Australia looks to America” had there been such a seismic change in the Lucky Country’s place in the world. The famed 1941 declaration about the task ahead by Mr Curtin solidified that Australia would no longer rely on Britain, its mother country.