President Zelensky of Ukraine gets into shouting match with President Trump and VP Vance, all but ending US support of Ukraine.

 

Zelensky, Trump and Putin. Fox News/Getty. 

President Zelensky of Ukraine got into a shouting match with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, all but ending US support of Ukraine. Fox News. At the end of a nearly 40 minute press conference between the three men, Zelensky criticized Trump and Vance to their faces, while Trump and Vance responded in kind. Zelensky was here to sign a mineral deal but the deal fell apart during the conference. The exchange started with Vance saying that Biden's chest pounding foreign policy wasn't working, and that diplomacy was necessary. Zelensky rejected diplomacy and said that Putin wouldn't honor a cease fire. Both Vance and Trump said that Zelensky was being disrespectful and then both sides criticized each other. Zelensky was accused of not being grateful to US assistance. The exchange led to the mineral deal not being signed and Zelensky being forced to return to Ukraine. 

I recommend watching the full conversation between Trump and Zelensky before forming strong opinions

(This is true for any situation)

pic.twitter.com/7ROt5QT41F

— Shaun Maguire (@shaunmmaguire) February 28, 2025

My Comment:

This is one of the biggest diplomatic self-immolations I have ever seen anyone make. The crazy part of it is that there was about 40 minutes of a pretty normal and boring press conference and then Zelensky kind of went nuts. It's one of the craziest things I have ever seen. I have been extremely critical of Zelensky for years now, but even I am shocked by this, I thought he was smarter? 

I am not sure what set Zelensky off, as it seemed to start after Trump said that Zelensky hated Putin, which makes a deal hard to make. Vance then said that diplomacy was needed and then Zelensky went on his tirade. It makes zero sense. 

Does Zelensky have a point that Russia wouldn't honor a cease fire? Possibly. Putin has little reason to make a deal and as long as their main goals in the war aren't accomplished, denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine, I guess it's possible they could go back on any deal. I do think that Trump was right and they wouldn't do that against him, but maybe five or ten years down the line?  

Either way, even if the point was valid, and that's debatable, the time to make it is not in a press conference in front of a major diplomatic victory for your country. The mineral deal wasn't that good for Ukraine but it was absolutely necessary for continuing support for Ukraine. Getting done would have been a coup for Ukraine as they wouldn't have found themselves in the situation they are in now.  

What Zelensky should have done is just kept his mouth shut. By trying to argue with Trump and Vance in front of the media he basically doomed his country and probably himself as well. Had he just shut up and signed the deal things would be going a lot better for him. He was very close to repairing an already fragile relationship that had been damaged recently, but instead he chose this? 

This was an absolute disaster for Zelensky. He just gave Trump permission to cut off Ukraine and he also gave various warhawks an off ramp as well. Senator Lindsey Graham, a well known neocon warmonger, went so far as suggesting that Ukraine should get rid of Zelensky. When Zelensky has lost Graham you know things went badly for him. Graham is a pretty slimy dude and probably only did this because he knows which way the winds are going, but it's still hugely significant that he's done with Zelensky. 

Today, President Trump gave a masterclass on how to stand up for America. pic.twitter.com/hekqo9j9TM

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) February 28, 2025

The tirade had immediate repercussions. In addition to getting kicked out of the country, which is a huge deal in itself, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ended aid for Ukraine's energy system. Russia has been targeting Ukraine's power generation for months now (they should have done it WAY earlier) so that's a huge blow. 

There are rumors going around that military aid is going to be cut as well, though I haven't seen actual proof of that. If that ends up being the case than Zelensky is done. Ukraine can't fight the war without US support. Europe is unable to make up the difference if the US were to pull out. They have already emptied their stocks trying to help Ukraine in the first place, plus they don't have the higher end stuff that we have been sending Ukraine, not that we have much left either. If no peace deal is made and the war continues, Zelensky will run out of weapons very fast.  

Zelensky might not have just ended US support, he may have essentially ended his career, and possibly ended his life as well. Zelensky had to essentially balance four competing groups, Russia, the United States, Europe and the Banderite hardliners in his own government. Any one of those groups may start to wonder if it would be better for their interests if Zelensky is gone. Given that Zelensky won't resign or hold new elections, it's possible new leadership will be installed by one of those factions through more kinetic means... 

Regardless, this press conference will likely go down in history as on of the biggest diplomatic failures. Historians will probably wonder if the Ukraine war would have gone differently if Zelensky could have just kept his mouth shut.