Following a tense meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Trump, and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office, Russia has responded with enthusiasm. As of now, Russian President Vladimir Putin has not commented on the situation.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev praised Trump and Vance’s actions, calling it a “proper slap down” of Zelenskyy. He echoed Trump’s sentiment, suggesting Ukraine was “gambling with WWIII” in a post on X.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova quipped that it was surprising Trump and Vance didn’t physically strike Zelenskyy during their heated discussion.
The response isn’t limited to government officials; state-controlled media outlets are also capitalizing on the situation.
Rebekah Koffler, a former senior official at the Defense Intelligence Agency and author of “Putin’s Playbook,” stated that Russian media, largely controlled by Putin’s government, is heavily focused on the interactions between Zelenskyy, Trump, and Vance.
Koffler, translating headlines for , noted that “Rossiyskaya Gazeta,” the Russian National Gazette, has been critical of Zelenskyy, highlighting the spat with Trump and Vance and Zelenskyy’s early departure from the White House.
Reuters reports that Russian state TV commentator Vladimir Solovyov announced a special program titled “Zelenskyy’s suicide in the White House.”
Following the Oval Office meeting, global leaders have criticized Trump and Vance’s conduct. French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed his support for Ukraine in a post on X.
Macron stated, “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,” adding that this included support from the Americans, Europeans, Canadians, Japanese, and others.
While U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer has not yet released a public statement, Kemi Badenoch, a leader within the U.K. Conservative Party, voiced her support for Ukraine, reminding the public that “the villain is the war criminal President Putin who illegally invaded another sovereign country – Ukraine.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a frequent critic of Trump, affirmed that “Canada will continue to stand with Ukraine and Ukrainians in achieving a just and lasting peace.”
Prior to the Oval Office meeting, tensions between Washington and Kyiv were already apparent. On Feb. 19, President Trump labeled President Zelenskyy “a dictator without elections” on Truth Social. However, when questioned about this comment during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump seemed to backtrack, asking, “Did I say that?”
The Trump administration’s approach to Kyiv contrasts sharply with that of the Biden administration. Following the February 2022 invasion, Biden declared his support for Ukraine, although in January 2022, he suggested a “minor incursion” might lead to less severe consequences. Trump, before the exchange, stated he wouldn’t side with either Russia or Ukraine, asserting he was “not aligned with anybody. I’m aligned with the United States of America and for the good of the world.”
During an with chief political anchor Bret Baier, Zelenskyy didn’t apologize for the tense exchange but acknowledged that it was “bad for both sides.”
Zelenskyy said on “Special Report,” “I just want to be honest, and I just want our partners to understand the situation correctly, and I want to understand everything correctly. That’s about us not to lose our friendship.”
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