For my last community interaction task, I decided to interview three of my Ukrainian friends about their perceptions of and attitude towards the United States. For this, I tried to again get a diverse array of interviewees, so as to get some variation in opinion, experience, and background. The first topic we discussed was about U.S. foreign policy, specifically in regards to the Russian annexation of Crimea and the ongoing war in the Donbass region. In this area, the three were agreement for the most part, and appreciated the hardline approach the U.S. has been taking against Russia via sanctions and other diplomatic measures. As to how far the U.S. and its western allies should go in this direction, there was some variety. The three interviewees each said that they considered themselves more supportive of U.S. foreign policy in Europe, along with the organizations NATO and the EU, after the annexation than they were prior to it. One interviewee voiced concerns about a change in U.S. policy following the election of President Trump, such as an easing its position towards Russia, but was grateful to see not much has changed in reality.
We also discussed government structure and domestic politics, comparing those of Ukraine and those of the U.S. They all agreed that the most prevalent flaw with the Ukrainian government was corruption, though some were more frustrated while others were more resigned. While I recognized the sway money can hold in American politics, it was nowhere to the degree to which they explained. Most frustrating for some of them was the sheer visibility of the corruption; you could see it in the many high rise constructions that remained incomplete, as the investment money simply “vanished.” However, some held hope that the newly elected President Zelensky, who had been a comedian and actor prior to his election rather than a career politician, would cut down on some of the corruption and bureaucratic waste. They seemed supportive of his more friendly posture towards the U.S. and the West in general, though many were uncertain about how he would address and overcome the crisis in the Donbass. Ultimately, I was fortunate to be among people who held the U.S. in generally positive regard, and it was interesting to hear their critique and praise of certain American policies.