Russia cheered on President Donald Trump in his Oval Office showdown Volodymyr Zelensky that resulted in the Ukrainian president being kicked out of the White House and peace talks put on hold.
‘The insolent pig finally got a proper slap down in the Oval Office. And @realDonaldTrump is right: The Kiev regime is ‘gambling with WWIII,” wrote Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Medvedev on X.
And Russian state media followed.
Aleksandr Kareyevsky, a TV host on the Rossiya 24 channel, said the meeting ‘looks more like a public flagellation for Zelensky’ and something that ‘no one expected from the U.S. president.’
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Russian strikes continue across Ukraine. And Russian President Vladimir Putin benefits from any delay in a peace deal. Putin has long wanted to see a split between Ukraine and the United States, which has provided billions in foreign aid to the war torn country.
Friday proved an extraordinary day at the White House where two world leaders got into a shouting match – the likes of which have never been seen in public.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has long wanted to see a divide between the U.S. and Ukraine
Trump threatened to abandon Ukraine completely if Zelensky did not agree to his peace terms. He also accused Zelensky of not being grateful.
Zelensky held his own, even showing Trump photos he brought of the devastation to his country, and arguing he had thanked the American people.
The showdown played out on TV screens across the world. Oksana Markarova, Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., seated to the side in the Oval Office, buried her face in her hands. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seated on a couch next to Vice President JD Vance, slouched and looked extremely uncomfortable. Vance couldn’t stop grinning.
Zelensky later posted a series of thank yous to Trump, Congress and the United States but it’s unclear if the gesture will be enough to win back American support. But he didn’t directly address his meeting with Trump and Vance.
Trump has long made it clear he doesn’t think American dollars should go to Kyiv.
The two leaders were supposed to sign a deal to give the U.S. rights to some of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals. That signing, along with a press conference, was canceled.
Russia salivated over the situation.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it was a miracle that Trump and Vance had restrained themselves from hitting Zelensky.
Longtime Russian lawmaker Andrei Klishas called Zelensky a ‘clown’ in the post on the messaging app Telegram and said he ‘played his role of a `president´ poorly in the White House and was thrown out for bad behavior and disrespect towards the U.S.’
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky departs the White House
Konstantin Kosachyov, deputy chairman of Russia’s upper house of parliament, said the event showed Zelensky’s true color.
‘Zelensky lost this round with a deafening rattle. And he will have to crawl to the next one on his knees,’ Kosachyov wrote on Telegram.
‘When for several years you get away with any lie, and the applause drowns out any doubts, there is an illusion that everything is allowed and that this will always be the case.
But other European leaders backed Zelensky.
‘The only obstacle to peace is the decision by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to continue his war of aggression,’ Sweden’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in a statement. ‘If Ukraine stops fighting, there will be no Ukraine.’
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X: ‘Dear Zelensky, dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone.’
And French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated his support for Ukraine.
The next moves are unclear as is the fate of Ukraine.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: ‘It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelensky is not ready for Peace if America is involved.
‘Because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.’
President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky’s meeting in the Oval Office became a shouting match
The day started off pleasant enough with Trump greeting Zelensky at the West Wing door. He even joked the Ukrainian president ‘dressed up’ for the occasion.
But their Oval Office meeting divulged at the 40-minute mark after Vice President JD Vance accused Zelensky of not being grateful.
That set off Trump. Both men demanded Zelensky say ‘thank you.’
Trump was repeatedly shouting over Zelensky as he tried to defend his position.
And Vance accused Zelensky of bringing in dignitaries to his country on ‘a propaganda tour.’
‘Do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?’ Vance berated him.
Zelensky tried to respond, but that only got Trump’s ire up.
‘Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel, because you’re in no position to dictate,’ he said.
‘You’ve allowed yourself to be in a very bad position,’ Trump told Zelensky, after last week calling him a ‘dictator’ and blaming Ukraine for starting the war.
Yelling with his face getting red, Trump intoned: ‘You’re not in a good position. You don’t have the cards right now … You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people.’
‘You’re gambling with World War Three. You’re gambling with World War Three, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country – this country that’s backed to you far more than a lot of people say they should have.
‘Have you said thank you once, this entire meeting,’ Vance said next in the tag team pile-on.
‘You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October,’ Vance, said, characterizing Zelensky’s trip to an ammunition factory which did not feature Kamala Harris, Trump’s opposition.
‘Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country,’ he demanded.
‘You think that, if you will speak very loudly,’ Zelensky tried to counter in his accented English.
‘He’s not speaking loudly,’ Trump said. ‘Your country is in big trouble.’
‘I know,’ Zelensky responded. ‘You’re not winning. You’re not winning this,’ Trump told him.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky holds photos of Ukrainians who were captured by Russian troops as he meets with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office
Zelensky got a moment to try to counter, saying ‘in our country, staying strong, from the very beginning of the war, we’ve been alone, and we are thankful.’
Toward the end Trump gave remarks indicating the blow-up was serving a purpose for him.
‘I think it’s good for the American people to see what’s going on. I think it’s very important. That’s why I kept this going so long. You have to be thankful you don’t have the cards. You’re buried there. You people are dying. You’re running low on soldiers,’ Trump said.
‘You’re running low on soldiers. Listen, you’re running low on soldiers. It would be a damn good thing. Then you tell us, ‘I don’t want a cease fire. I don’t want a cease fire,’ Trump said, delivering a mocking impression of his counterpart. ‘I want to go, and I want this – look, you could get a ceasefire right now, I tell you, you take it so the bullets stop flying and your men stop getting killed.’
‘Of course I want to stop the war. What I said to you – with guarantees,’ Zelensky said. He has been pushing for security guarantees from the U.S.
Shortly after the argument, Trump ended the public part of the meeting.
‘This is going to be great television, I will say that,’ he said.
As press was being ushered out, President Trump reached over and patted Zelensky’s shoulder.
As this all went on, one White House staffer whispered to another: ‘This is going to be big.’