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U.S. President Accuses Ukrainian Leader of Prolonging the War, While Zelensky Refuses to Compromise with Russia
Trump and Zelensky had a tense meeting at the White House. U.S. President Donald Trump accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of wanting to continue the war with Russia instead of seeking peace. The meeting happened in front of many reporters and showed how divided the U.S. is on the Ukraine-Russia war.
Before leaving for Florida, Trump told reporters, “I want a ceasefire now.” He said the fighting in Ukraine should stop immediately. Trump also said that Zelensky was trying to keep the war going. “He’s looking to go on and fight, fight, fight,” he said.
Trump mentioned that he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin several times and believed that Putin also wanted to end the war. Trump’s comments suggested that he thinks Ukraine should make some compromises to achieve peace.
Zelensky strongly disagreed. He said there should be “no compromises with a killer on our territory,” referring to Putin. His statement made it clear that he would not accept any deal that involved giving up Ukrainian land.
The situation got worse when Vice President JD Vance joined in and called Zelensky “disrespectful.” It was unusual for U.S. leaders to criticize an ally so publicly. The meeting caused a big reaction from politicians on both sides.
Many Democrats were angry at Trump for the way he treated Zelensky. Senator Chris Van Hollen said, “Trump and Vance berating Zelensky — putting on a show of lies and misinformation that would make Putin blush — is an embarrassment for America and a betrayal of our allies. They’re popping champagne in the Kremlin.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump and Vance of helping Putin. “Trump and Vance are doing Putin’s dirty work. Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for freedom and democracy,” he said.
Ben Rhodes, who worked for former President Barack Obama, said Trump is changing what America stands for. “Trump is transforming what the United States is as a country in the world into a far-right, authoritarian, transactional, valueless oligarchy aligned with the world’s autocracies,” he warned.
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, a leader in supporting Ukraine, apologized to Zelensky. “We cannot let President Trump rewrite history or upend proven partnerships with decades of bipartisan support. I extend my sincere apologies to President Zelensky and again reaffirm my support for our Ukrainian friends.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also spoke out against Trump. “President Trump and his administration continue to embarrass America on the world stage. Today’s White House meeting with the President of Ukraine was appalling and will only serve to further embolden Vladimir Putin, a brutal dictator.”
On the other hand, many Republicans supported Trump. They said he was making sure America was not being taken advantage of. “Thanks to President Trump, the days of America being taken advantage of and disrespected are OVER,” a Republican statement said. “What we witnessed in the Oval Office today was an American President putting America first.”
Senator Lindsey Graham, who has supported Ukraine in the past, had a different view. He called the meeting a “complete, utter disaster” and even suggested that Zelensky should step down. “This was an embarrassment,” Graham said. “Zelensky needs to reconsider his leadership.”
This meeting showed the big differences in opinion on how the U.S. should handle the war in Ukraine. Trump and his supporters want to focus on peace talks and reduce U.S. involvement, while his critics think his actions are weakening alliances and helping Putin. As the war continues into its third year, this meeting will be remembered as a key moment in how the U.S. approaches the conflict.