Ukrainians living in western Pennsylvania are reacting to the heated exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump, and Vice President JD Vance.

"I was appalled; it looked like a bad movie," said Stephen Haluszczak, who organized a series of "Art Love Freedom" events in Carnegie to draw attention to the war. That attention turned Friday to the heated exchange. 

"It's first and foremost on people's minds," he said. "You know, a lot of the Ukrainian people supported President Trump."

That, at least until early Friday afternoon, included Nataliia Sahaidak. She moved from Ukraine to the Pittsburgh area at the start of the war.

"I don't know why President Mr. Trump was unpolite with our president, because [Zelensky was] really polite for [the] American president," Sahaidak said. "I was surprised. I don't know why he protect Putin. Putin is killer. Putin is terrorist."

The fear we heard in the gallery was echoed by the area Ukrainian clergymen we spoke to on the phone.

"JD Vance's behavior today accelerated any movement toward World War III," said Father Jason Charron. "It's surreal and confusing, to say the least."

"All three of them were like petulant teenagers," said Father Timothy Tomson. "Zelenskyy lost [his] cool and [Trump and Vance] also lost their cool." 

"I really was torn, because I love the country, the United States of America, but I was embarrassed by the behavior that we displayed," said Father John Charest, of Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Carnegie.

He told us he was proud of Zelensky and shared more hope for peace than the other clergymen we spoke to. 

"I see more hope here. So this, this interview, didn't go well on camera, but it's one of the bigger steps taken in three years," Charest said. 

The Art Love Freedom event series will have two events each weekend during March, starting next weekend.