The Ukrainian president used social media to personally thank all of the world leaders who showed support for his nation, only hours after US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance blasted him of not being “thankful.” His reaction comes after Trump and Vance had a contentious discussion at the White House that resulted in a tense stalemate. European leaders released pro-Kyiv statements after the meeting. And Zelensky responded by methodically thanking everyone of them. An unprecedented yelling match broke out in the Oval Office on Friday when Trump attacked Zelensky, saying he wasn’t “thankful” enough for US military assistance. The Ukrainian president abruptly left the White House without concluding a minerals deal that had been hailed as a possible step toward a truce mediated by the United States, after what was described as an outright yelling fight.
Zelensky was criticized by Trump and Vance at the discussion for not recognizing the magnitude of US assistance to Ukraine’s war effort. Trump made it clear to Zelensky that US assistance was the only thing that could help Kyiv fend off Russian assault. “You don’t have the cards right now,” Trump informed them. “You’re either going to make a deal or we’re out, and if we’re out, you’ll fight it out, and I don’t think it’s going to be pretty.” Zelensky departed the White House shortly after, and Trump wrote on social media that the Ukrainian leader “can come back when he is ready for peace.” A combined news conference between Trump and Zelensky was canceled, and the expected minerals contract remained unsigned. According to US media, after the heated argument, Zelensky was told to leave the property by Trump administration authorities. Later, Trump charged that Zelensky was “overplaying his hand,” claiming that the head of Ukraine was impeding attempts to immediately achieve a ceasefire with Russia. In a follow-up interview with Fox News, Zelensky declined to provide an apology for his position. Zelensky remarked, “I’m not sure that we did something bad,”
Leaders in Europe Unite in Support of Zelensky
Europe was rocked by Trump’s spectacular altercation with Zelensky. In a statement of sympathy, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, “You are not alone.” After the altercation, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who had just visited with Trump in Washington, gave both Trump and Zelensky a call. British “unwavering support” for Ukraine is what Zelensky was reassured of by Starmer. To debate the future of Ukraine’s defense, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asked for an urgent summit with the US, European countries, and other allies. On the home front, Vance and Trump were charged by US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of “doing Putin’s dirty work.”
Zelensky personally answered each and every note of sympathy from the UK, Canada, Sweden, and a number of other countries. Moscow, on the other hand, rejoiced about the deterioration of Washington-Kyiv relations. Zelensky was ridiculed by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who called him a “insolent pig” who had been “properly slapped down in the Oval Office.” Trump and Vance were commended by a Russian foreign ministry spokesperson for exercising restraint, adding, “How Trump and Vance held back from hitting that scumbag is a miracle of restraint.”