LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A clash in the Oval Office made aftershocks for the Ukrainian community in Las Vegas, which has been forced to act amid threats.
Nadiya Frolova, Ukrainian-born owner of the Slavic Executive Center, said the business started in 1998 when her mother made history in Clark County.
“She was a first Russian speaking court certified interpreter,” she said. “She was the first in the history of Clark County, certified by Eighth Judicial District Court to be a court interpreter.”
The translation work evolved over a decade into a paralegal and tax preparation office with a focus on Russian-speaking residents in Southern Nevada. Eventually, Frolova left her career in gymnastics and fell into her mother’s line of business.
“We focus on preparing documents for to be used overseas, like in Russia, Ukraine, and all other countries that were used to be former Soviet Union republics,” Frolova said.
For several years Frolova’s family business went by the “Russian Executive Center” but changed the name last year following threats against staff—incorrectly associating them with Russian interests.
“They were saying, ‘You’re not welcome here. Get out of here,’” she said.
Due to threats and a downturn in business Frolova said they changed “Russian” to “Slavic” even though she wants potential Russian, Ukrainian, and Spanish speakers to know they can come in.
“This is more of it’s a language thing,” Frolova said. “So, let’s not take language as a point to discriminate other people.”
Oval Office clash reaction
The contentious morning meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was a topic of conversation for Frolova and her family and friends, some of who have fled their hometown of Luhansk, Ukraine.
“This conversation that Zelensky and Trump had earlier today, what majority of people think is the heated moment that came at the end of this meeting, was a little bit out of place for Zelensky,” Frolova said. “He shouldn’t have he shouldn’t have brought it to that point, although he didn’t start the actual argument. It was as we see it. It was probably because of [Vice President JD Vance]. He kind of started saying things that triggered Zelensky to respond, but he didn’t wait until there was a pause and he could speak his mind.”
Once Zelensky left the White House and Trump released a statement describing the agreement as unsettled, Frolova said it made her feel worried about finding a resolution to a conflict for her childhood home.
“It was canceled, kind of tells us that things are not as good as they as we wanted them to be,” she said. “We are worried, naturally, of that the peacemaking process is not near as we hoped for.”
Frolova said she and her family hope a solution for peace can be found, without any more violence.
“Step number one would to be, stop fighting, stop shooting at each other,” she said. “And, of course, step number two, get all the Russian soldiers, troops of the Ukrainian territory. There is a border, so go behind, go to home, go to your home, and take your ammos with you.”
