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Trump, Zelenskyy to hold meeting in Florida
As world leaders prepare for peace deal talks in Florida, the war in Ukraine feels anything but distant for members of the Ukrainian community in Tampa. FOX 13's Evan Axelbank reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - As world leaders prepare for peace deal talks in Florida, the war in Ukraine feels anything but distant for members of the Ukrainian community in Tampa.
What they're saying:
With President Donald Trump set to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago, local Ukrainians say the visit comes as their homeland continues to endure daily violence.
MORE NEWS: Zelenskyy says he will meet with Trump 'before the New Year'
"Everybody gets used to living in stress," Roman Voloshyn, who owns Pierogi Bar, a Ukrainian restaurant in St. Petersburg, said. "That's what it is. [We] get used [to] people being buried every day.
Voloshyn doesn't have much hope President Zelenskyy’s visit to Florida to negotiate with President Trump will bring Russia any closer to leaving Ukrainian territory.
"This war is about Ukraine as a whole," Voloshyn said. "Ukraine as a culture, Ukraine as history."
Zelenskyy announced on X that he is traveling to Mar-a-Lago because his side is "not losing a single day" in trying to work for peace, and that "a lot can be decided before the new year."
"Russia wants Ukraine to capitulate," Jurij Priatka said. "The problem with that, is Ukraine cannot capitulate because if they do, they cease to exist."
What's next:
Zelenskyy is coming to Florida as bombs continue to rain onto Ukrainian territory, including an attack on a Ukrainian road that killed several civilians.
"What's crazy about it is that it's almost become normal for them," Priatka said. "It's a normal way of life, and it shouldn't be. There's nothing normal about any of this."
The Source: Information for this story was gathered from interviews with local Ukranians.