Trump-Zelensky Showdown sparks global backlash
Shafaq News/ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky clashed repeatedly with US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, Amid a heated exchange in the Oval Office.
Trump accused Zelensky of "disrespecting the United States" and being "unready for peace," as Zelensky insisted on securing guarantees for any potential agreement with Russia.
Ukrainian Leadership and Public Reaction
The incident sparked rapid support for Zelensky across Ukraine. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal affirmed that "peace without guarantees is impossible."
President @ZelenskyyUa is right. Peace without guarantees is not possible. Cease-fire without guarantees is the way to russian occupation of the all European continent.#підтримуюПрезидента
— Denys Shmyhal (@Denys_Shmyhal) February 28, 2025
Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk reminded audiences that "no one should forget that Russia is the aggressor and Ukraine the victim."
Full support for the President of Ukraine @ZelenskyyUa Full support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people!NO ONE has the right to forget that in this war russia is the aggressor and Ukraine is the victim of aggression!!!🇺🇦
— Ruslan Stefanchuk (@r_stefanchuk) February 28, 2025
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiya praised Zelensky for his courage and strength in defending truth and added that Ukraine remains grateful for US support. Army Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi echoed these sentiments on Facebook, asserting, "Our armed forces stand with Ukraine, with the people, and with our commander-in-chief. Our strength lies in our unity."
An ABC News report quoted a Ukrainian delegation official who noted that although they had come prepared for productive talks, White House staff abruptly canceled the meetings and directed the Ukrainian team to leave. When asked if Zelensky had been deliberately provoked, the source replied, "I believe so."
European Leaders Rally to Ukraine’s Side
European leaders quickly expressed solidarity with Zelensky. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged, "Be brave and strong—never fear. You are never alone. Dear President Zelensky, we will continue working with you for a just and lasting peace." A senior EU foreign policy official, Kaya Kalas, stated that "the free world needs a new leader," emphasizing that "Ukraine is Europe, and we stand with Ukraine."
Your dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people.Be strong, be brave, be fearless. You are never alone, dear President @ZelenskyyUa.We will continue working with you for a just and lasting peace.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 28, 2025
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Russia’s aggression, remarking, "Russia is the aggressor, and the Ukrainian people are the victims."
There is an aggressor: Russia.There is a victim: Ukraine.We were right to help Ukraine and sanction Russia three years ago—and to keep doing so. By “we,” I mean the Americans, the Europeans, the Canadians, the Japanese, and many others.Thank you to…
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) February 28, 2025
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot reinforced this view by stating, "The Ukrainian people are under attack. For the sake of our collective security, Europe must act decisively."
Il y a un agresseur : la Russie de Poutine. Il y a un agressé : le peuple ukrainien. Face à cela et pour notre sécurité collective, une nécessité : l’Europe, maintenant. Le temps des mots est révolu, passons aux actes.
— Jean-Noël Barrot (@jnbarrot) February 28, 2025
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also voiced strong support, with Tusk directly telling Zelensky, "Dear Zelensky, you are not alone."
Dear @ZelenskyyUa, dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone.
— Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) February 28, 2025
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced plans to propose an immediate summit with the United States, European countries, and allies to address today’s major challenges, beginning with Ukraine. "Any division in the West weakens us all and only benefits those who wish to see our civilization decline," she stated.
Russian Response
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova commented that "the fact that Trump and Vance maintained restraint and did not hit Zelensky is nothing short of miraculous." On Telegram, she dismissed Zelensky's claim that Ukraine was left unsupported in 2022 as a "big lie."
#MariaI think Zelensky's BIGGEST lie for all his lies is the statement in the White House that the Kyiv regime in 2022 was left alone, without support.How Trump and Vance restrained themselves and did not smear this scum is a miracle of endurance.👉https://t.co/WpDlL5CmCF pic.twitter.com/DDHCWO0x5e
— Maria Zakharova (Commentary) (@_MariaZakharova) February 28, 2025
Meanwhile, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, said on X that Zelensky received "a powerful slap" from Trump and warned that Kyiv’s current approach "risks triggering World War III."
The insolent pig finally got a proper slap down in the Oval Office. And @realDonaldTrump is right: The Kiev regime is "gambling with WWIII."
— Dmitry Medvedev (@MedvedevRussiaE) February 28, 2025
Aftermath and Fallout
US media reported that Trump effectively "booted" Zelensky from the White House following the altercation—a move that ultimately led to the cancellation of the joint press conference and the shelving of the rare earth minerals deal, a key objective of Zelensky’s visit.
FOX NEWS quoted White House officials stating that the Ukrainians were "pleading" to reset the discussions, but American officials made it clear that Zelensky must leave and only return when he is "ready for peace," adding that Trump and his advisors felt disrespected by Zelensky’s remarks and behavior.
