Author Yaroslav Trofimov Sheds Light on Ukrainian Resilience Amid Ongoing Conflict

The atmosphere at the Ukrainian Institute of America was almost jovial on Thursday evening as professionals of all stripes ascended to the second floor. Rows of chairs were arranged for an event featuring Yaroslav Trofimov, a foreign correspondent for the Wall Street Journal and author. Trofimov’s new book, Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine’s War of Independence, published earlier this year by Penguin Press, offers a comprehensive narrative of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Drawing from his extensive experience on the front lines, Trofimov's book chronicles the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people in the face of adversity since Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of the country two years ago.

It’s no secret that this project is a personal one for Trofimov, who grew up in Kyiv, an area his family has called home for generations. He is a seasoned war correspondent, having previously covered conflicts in the Middle East. But he acknowledged that this is the first time his home country has been the focus of his own reporting. As such, the story he managed to tell is packed with intimate details from Ukrainian citizens, among them doctors, businessmen, and teachers, who offer keen insights into what’s happening on the ground. These people have suffered, no doubt, and that is acknowledged from the onset.

Yaroslav Trofimov (Penguin Random House)

“We hold a moment of silence at the beginning of our programs events to commemorate and honor all heroes who felt at the hands of the aggressor, the men, women of the armed services, cultural figures, writers, poets, artists, musicians, professionals in the medical and journalistic corps, the clergy and innocent men, women and children,” the opening speaker, Andrew Horodysky, a member of the Board of Directors, told the audience. Afterward, he informed us that the book’s title is derived from a line from Ukraine’s national anthem, a sign that the country “has not yet perished.”

The moderator, Dr. Emma Mateo, the Petro Jacyk Postdoctoral Research Scholar in Ukrainian Studies with the Harriman Institute at Columbia University, has borne witness to the spirit of the Ukrainian people herself. She’s dedicated years of study to the history of protest movements and activism in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. She called the book a “fascinating” and “important” read, noting that Trofimov’s experience “zigzagging” across the country has effectively reshaped his own perspectives on conflict. “I think what made it easier for me, obviously, was being able to understand the culture and emotions, it makes it so much easier,” Trofimov told her. His personal connection to the war, he said, allowed him “to translate this understanding of Ukraine to a different audience.”

In recounting these details, he explained that delving into the intricacies of the war allowed him to gain clarity, highlighting the initial week of conflict as particularly memorable for its blurring effect on his memory. However, Mateo also observed recurring patterns throughout Trofimov’s book that provide structure amidst the unfolding events. Recent Western perspectives have signaled that the war is moving in a “negative” direction, particularly as U.S. support for Ukraine has fractured. Yet Trofimov successfully weaves a narrative that captures how Ukrainian spirit has persisted in spite of these setbacks or, perhaps, because of them. 

Trofimov’s work as a journalist is invaluable. He’s served as the Wall Street Journal’s chief foreign affairs correspondent since 2018 and has almost single handedly led coverage of Ukraine’s war effort, contributing a nuanced viewpoint to his coverage at a time when much of the existing coverage of the war has been framed through a markedly geopolitical lens, one framed around Putin’s regime and its potential consequences for the existing world order. The problem with these sorts of analyses is that they often fail to center the human cost, casting the conflict as one defined by its implications—as serious as they are—rather than the humanitarian crisis that it is. Our Enemies Will Vanish is a reminder that the personal is indeed political.

To that end, Trofimov has been understandably critical of Putin’s aims as well as the existing political landscape of the U.S. Take, for instance, a recent column he penned for the Journal titled “Will the U.S. Abandon Ukraine?” 

Yaroslav Trofimov and Emma Mateo during their discussion at the Ukrainian Institute of America on Thursday, May 9. (Photo by Alan Herrera/Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the United States)

In it, he examines Americans’ waning support for the war, stressing that “the Republican leadership of the House of Representatives has been blocking legislation that would authorize fresh military assistance to Ukraine, including the latest bipartisan bill passed 70-29 by the Senate.” He also points out that these same Republicans have “begun expressing admiration for Putin and even for the beauty of Moscow subways and the quality of Russian supermarkets,” a nod to recent fawning coverage from former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, whose recent interview with Putin drew heated criticism from prominent Democrats including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. 

Who could have perceived that the U.S., a global hegemon long considered a beacon of democracy in the West and around the world, would find itself splintered by these opposing allegiances? Trofimov’s condemnation of this political climate—one that, he notes, has “caused an acute shortage of artillery shells in Ukrainian units”—stings even more when we factor in the latest findings compiled in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The world’s leading press advocacy organization reported that the U.S. dropped 10 points from 2023 and is now ranked 55 out of 180 countries in its annual assessment. 

During the event, there was a designated period for attendees to pose questions to the author regarding his work. It was during this time that I seized the opportunity to ask a question that I believed would delve into the essence of Trofimov’s experience writing the book and conveying his perspective to readers who share his passion for the war and admiration for the Ukrainian people. After introducing myself as a press freedom advocate from the most influential organization representing the interests of the international press in the U.S., I inquired how Trofimov has navigated the delicate balance between his desire to write the book and its potential impact on his mental well-being.

“Writing is therapy,” he said, declining to elaborate further.

Reflecting on this exchange, I ponder the magnitude of Trofimov's internal reconciliation throughout the process of working on and promoting this project. For the time being, we must allow his work to convey its message independently. Perhaps more comprehensive insights will emerge as the war evolves or reaches a resolution, though the specifics of such an outcome remain unexplored by those present. Despite the solemnity of the subject matter, the evening served as a celebration of this important work, and for now, that suffices.