Aakhir Tak – In Shorts
- The Trump-Zelenskyy meeting descended into chaos after JD Vance intervened.
- The meeting started cordially but turned sour after Vance’s questioning.
- Vance accused Zelenskyy of being disrespectful to President Trump.
- Zelenskyy questioned Vance’s suggestion of diplomacy, doubting Russia’s reliability.
- Zelenskyy stormed out of the White House as the conflict escalated.
Aakhir Tak – In Depth
The meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy descended into chaos due to the intervention of Vice President JD Vance. Plates of spring green salad and rosemary roasted chicken went untouched, and a joint press conference was scrapped as the meeting at the White House turned contentious, leading to the Ukrainian leader being asked to leave.
Initially, the meeting began on a positive note, with handshakes and smiles between Trump and Zelenskyy. However, the atmosphere shifted dramatically when Vance interjected to answer a question about Trump’s support for Russia.
The first 30 minutes of the meeting involved cordial talks and formalities, with Trump highlighting how the Russia-Ukraine war would not have occurred if he had been president. The mood soured when Trump began to shift the blame for the war to Ukraine, despite Russia’s invasion in 2022.
The turning point occurred when Vance, mostly silent in White House meetings between Trump and world leaders, intervened when a reporter asked Trump if he was “aligned” with Russia’s Putin.
“For four years in the US, we had a president who stood up at press conferences and talked tough about Vladimir Putin, and Putin invaded Ukraine and destroyed a significant chunk of the country. The path to peace and the path to prosperity is maybe engaging in diplomacy,” Vance stated.
It was at this moment that the meeting seemed to unravel. As Vance suggested diplomacy as the path to end the war, Zelenskyy, visibly irritated, argued that Putin was unreliable, citing the ceasefire deal signed in 2015 after Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
“He (Putin) occupied our parts, big parts of Ukraine, part of East and Crimea… nobody stopped him. He just occupied and took. He killed people, you know?” Zelenskyy said. His tone became increasingly tense as he continued to give Vance a history lesson.
“But after that, he broke the ceasefire, he killed our people, and he didn’t exchange prisoners. We signed the exchange of prisoners, but he didn’t do it. What kind of diplomacy, JD, are you speaking about? What do you mean?” Zelenskyy pressed further.
Vance retorted, “I am talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country.”
As tempers flared, Vance raised his voice, accusing Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful” to Trump, who was trying to end the three-year conflict. “I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media. You guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president,” Vance asserted.
This proved to be the tipping point, as Zelenskyy, folding his arms, adopted a more combative stance. “Have you been to Ukraine? Did you see what problems we have?” Zelenskyy responded.
A flustered Vance reiterated that it was disrespectful for Zelenskyy to come to the Oval Office and attack the administration that was trying to prevent the destruction of his country. “I have actually watched and seen the stories, and I know that what happens is that you bring them on a propaganda tour… And do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?” Vance questioned.
At this point, Trump, who had been silently observing the exchange, intervened after Zelenskyy claimed that the US would also feel the impact of the Ukraine war if it continued. “You are in no position to dictate how we are going to feel,” Trump stated.
Vance interjected again, accusing Zelenskyy of not being grateful for US support. “Have you said thank you once?” he asked. An incensed Zelenskyy snapped back, “A lot of times.”
The fuse had been lit. The meeting descended into a shouting match for three minutes before Zelenskyy stormed out of the White House. The Trump-Zelenskyy relationship, once seemingly solid, faced a critical test due to the escalating tensions during this meeting.
Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember
- JD Vance’s intervention triggered a conflict during the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting.
- A previously cordial meeting devolved into a heated argument.
- Vance accused Zelenskyy of disrespecting President Trump.
- Zelenskyy challenged Vance’s suggestion of diplomacy with Russia.
- Zelenskyy stormed out of the White House amid the escalating tensions.
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