What started as another round of high-stakes political diplomacy quickly escalated into a fiery war of words—this time between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and two of America’s most powerful figures: Vice President JD Vance and former President Donald Trump.
In the aftermath of an explosive Oval Office showdown, both sides are still trading barbs, and things are getting personal.
JD Vance Dismisses Zelensky’s Claims as “Absurd”
Vice President JD Vance didn’t mince words when asked about Zelensky’s recent claims.
In an interview with the British outlet UnHerd, Vance blasted the Ukrainian president’s suggestion that the U.S. was siding with Russia in the ongoing war.
“I think it’s sort of absurd for Zelensky to tell the government—the same one that’s been holding his country and war effort together—that we’re on the side of the Russians,” Vance said bluntly.
He added that Zelensky’s remarks weren’t “productive” and only made things worse diplomatically.
Zelensky Reflects on Oval Office Confrontation
Zelensky recently sat down with 60 Minutes, where he spoke candidly about his dramatic February meeting with Trump and Vance.
He recalled trying to explain that the war wasn’t some kind of political gray area.
“There is an aggressor, and there is a victim. The Russians are the aggressor, and we are the victim,” he emphasized.
He also accused Vance of “somehow justifying” the Russian invasion, an allegation Vance quickly denied.
Vance Clarifies His Position: Understanding ≠ Support
Vance pushed back on the idea that he was defending Russia.
Instead, he said his approach was about understanding the situation from all sides in order to find a resolution.
“You don’t have to morally support the invasion to understand Russia’s strategic goals,” he said.
“It’s the same logic we apply to understanding Ukraine’s objectives—if we ever want to end the conflict, we have to understand what’s driving both sides.”
His press secretary, Taylor Van Kirk, also chimed in, pointing the finger at President Biden.
“This war is the result of Biden’s weakness and incompetence,” she stated.
Trump: “This War Should Have Never Happened”
Donald Trump didn’t hold back either. On Sunday, he doubled down on his belief that the war was avoidable.
“If Biden were competent—and I’m not sure Zelensky is either—this war never would’ve started,” he said.
Trump claimed that under his administration, Putin wouldn’t even have dared to consider an invasion.
He reiterated his long-standing assertion that “everyone’s to blame” for the conflict—Biden, Zelensky, and especially Putin.
His comments came on the heels of a deadly missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, where dozens were killed and over 100 injured.
A Wild Oval Office Exchange Still Reverberates
The war of words isn’t new. Back on February 28, Zelensky met with Trump and Vance in the Oval Office, and what followed was one of the most heated public showdowns ever witnessed at the White House.
Trump and Vance grilled Zelensky over what they felt was a lack of gratitude for the nearly $100 billion in U.S. aid Ukraine had received.
In return, Zelensky showed them graphic images of war-torn Ukraine and insisted that he had thanked the American people repeatedly.
Diplomacy? Or Disrespect?
The tension escalated even more when Vance defended Trump’s efforts at diplomacy, contrasting it with Biden’s more aggressive stance on Russia.
Zelensky wasn’t having it. “What kind of diplomacy are you talking about?” he asked.
“Putin invaded in 2014 and no one stopped him. He killed people.”
He also reminded the room of the 2019 ceasefire agreement Ukraine signed with Russia, Germany, and France—a deal he claims Putin has continually violated.
Vance, meanwhile, accused Zelensky of bringing the conversation to the media instead of handling it behind closed doors.
“I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American press,” he told him.
“You’re Gambling with World War III”
The meeting only got more tense when Zelensky pointed out that the U.S. was somewhat shielded from the horrors of war thanks to the “nice ocean” separating them from the battlefield. That set Trump off.
“Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. You’re in no position to dictate that,” Trump shot back. “You’re gambling with World War III!”
Trump then reminded Zelensky who held the power in their relationship.
“With us, you have the cards. But without us, you don’t have any cards.”