WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Members of the metro Detroit Ukrainian community were closely monitoring Friday's meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump, with reactions ranging from cautious optimism to deep concern.
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"A lot of my friends have been killed protecting their lands, and it's tough," said Vitaliy Tsisyk, head coach of TSI Boxing Gym in Warren.
Before becoming a boxing coach in Michigan, Tsisyk lived in Ukraine, where many of his friends and family still reside – and fight.
"A lot of teammates I grew up with and trained with have been killed on the frontline," Tsisyk said.
It's part of the reason Tsisyk is hopeful that Friday's meeting between the two presidents could be a significant step toward peace.
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"I want to make sure this is done wisely and we have what we deserve," Tsisyk said.
However, not everyone in the Ukrainian-American community shares this optimism.
"I thought it was a little bit disturbing," said Andrew Powers, a member of the Ukrainian American Response Committee of Michigan, referring to the meeting between Trump and Putin.
"The president of the United States had a red carpet rolled out and a military flyover for a wanted war criminal," Powers said.
Bridget Brink, who is running for Michigan's 7th Congressional District and served as former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, expressed similar concerns.
"I would say this is not the best way to ensure we're delivering results for the American people," Brink said.
Brink hopes Friday's discussion leads to a long-term solution for Ukraine.
"It's important that our side and our president focus on what is needed to actually bring this conflict to a durable peace and that means security for people to come home, millions of people have left their homes in Ukraine," Brink said.
As the meeting concluded and the war continues, Tsisyk remains hopeful that something positive will ultimately emerge from the discussions.
"We're really hoping for the best, and I think we'll see what happens, but this is definitely a big thing that can happen from today," Tsisyk said.
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