President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy clashed during their White House meeting on ending the Russia-Ukraine war, with Vance pointedly asking Zelenskyy, “Have you said thank you once this entire meeting?”
During Zelenskyy’s visit, Vance emphasized that achieving peace between Russia and Ukraine would require the U.S. to take a more active role in diplomacy, Fox News noted. “Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance told Zelenskyy. “Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for bringing it, to bring it into this country.”
“Have you’ve ever been to Ukraine that you say what problems we have?” Zelenskyy shot back. “I’ve actually watched and seen the stories and I know that what happens is you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour,” Vance continued. “Mr. President. Do you disagree that you’ve had problems bringing people into your military? And do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to trying to prevent the destruction of your country?”
Zelenskyy continued that under war, “everybody has problems, even you” and that the U.S. would feel the war “in the future.” Trump responded, “You don’t know that,” aas Zelenskyy said “God bless you” to Trump. “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel,” Trump continued. “You are in no position to dictate that, remember that,” Trump said, as Zelenskyy said that he was only answering Vance’s questions.
“I feel we’re going to feel very good, very strong,” Trump said. “You’re right now not in a very good position. You’ve allowed yourself to be in a very bad position. You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards,” Trump continued, as Zelesnkyy said, “I’m not playing cards.”
“Yeah you’re playing cards,” Trump said. “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III. You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country.” Vance then interjected, asking Zelenskyy if he’s “said thank you once this entire meeting.”
“You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October, offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country,” Vance continued. The Ukraine leader then argued that Vance was speaking “loudly,” before Trump shot back that Vance was not speaking loudly. “Your country is in big trouble,” Trump said. “Wait a minute. No, no, you’ve done a lot of talking. Your country is in big trouble.”
