Ethan Byrne helped deliver aid in Ukraine. Photo: Supplied.
A Goolgowi man who helped rebuild Ukraine has described the recent televised meeting between US President Donald Trump and his counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “disgusting”, but says most locals on the ground didn’t pay much attention to it.
In a much-publicised event, President Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated and mocked the Ukraine president in front of the world’s media on 28 February.
It caught the attention of Ethan Byrne, 34, who flew to Ukraine in July 2024 to volunteer, helping construct bomb shelters, assemble drones and raise awareness of what’s happening in the war-torn country.
“It was hard to watch; I felt for Zelenskyy being talked at and treated like that, it was pretty disgusting to see,” he said.
“I’m no longer in Ukraine, but after seeing how things have been unfolding and knowing it’s probably only going to get worse for them, I want to go back and throw my support behind them more than ever.
“I have been in contact with some friends over there discussing this very topic. And they always surprise me with their stoic outlook on things. I don’t think they intentionally try to be stoic but they are just so desensitised to all the white noise that’s happening outside of Ukraine.”
Mr Byrne said the locals who he befriended while volunteering in the country were more concerned with trying to stay alive than worrying about a televised event in the White House.
“They really don’t care,” he said.
“They honestly had no big expectations around Trump, like the rest of the world. Trump has just shown to the world what most of Ukrainians already thought about him anyway.
“It’s interesting talking to them because I feel like I get more worked up and emotional about what’s going on then they do. I realise they have been living this for so long now, being let down by the West, fighting this war with one hand tied behind their back.
“They have zero expectations that the rest of the world is going to come to their rescue because if they were, they would have already done it by now. The Ukrainians are just in survival mode and they don’t seem to be fazed by all the drama in the media. They have more important things to worry about, like surviving.”
The Trump-Zelensky meeting has been the subject of much debate. Photo: File.
Mr Byrne is a mechanic who was raised in the small town of Goolgowi. In 2024, he had a dream job in the motorsports industry fixing cars in the pits at the Supercar Championships. But despite having no Ukrainian heritage, he gave up this gig to travel to the other side of the world.
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014 was completely unjustified and highlights a disturbing pattern; when Russia lost political influence, it resorted to violence … [the] full-scale invasion in 2022 only intensified a conflict rooted in years of struggle,” he said.
“I believe every nation deserves the right to choose its own path, and Ukraine’s fight reflects values I strongly identify with: democracy, freedom, and self-determination,” he said.
While in the former Soviet state, his work was varied.
“I was part of efforts to repair frontline equipment and vehicles essential for Ukrainian soldiers, frontline workers such as medics, drone operators and other volunteers. The daily challenges range from securing parts to working under threat of renewed bombardment, daily barrage of artillery and missile strikes,” he said.
“In liberated regions, such as areas on the Kharkiv Oblast, Sumy Oblast and Kyiv Oblast, I was involved in tearing down structures damaged beyond repair due to the Russian invasion and rebuilding bomb shelters for displaced civilians.”
Mr Byrne has since returned to Griffith and now works for Casella Winery.
