Lauding Ukrainian Statemanship

World sees Trump and Vance lying and severely outclassed. They fool no one.

Putin was embolden yesterday by the direct support from Trump and Vance. The latter two needed cover for their budget debacle. Trump has authorized Johnson to go for the Continuing Resolution through the end of the fiscal year, September 30. Trump and Vance continue to ride on Continuing Resolutions that keep extending Nancy Pelosi’s last approved House budget. Talk about unable to govern!

What we are seeing is an abject inability to govern combined with belligerent diplomacy. Simply deplorable conduct.

The wrath yelled by President Donald Trump at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Ukraine's future in the balance. This was a high-stakes meeting on Friday between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It devolved into a shouting match.

The stunning exchange, before cameras and one unlike any other in the Oval Office in modern times, saw Trump and Vice President JD Vance rebuke Zelenskyy for his handling of the war, again falsely blaming the Ukrainian leader for a conflict that began when Russia's Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion in 2022.

In America, our noted historians and news leaders are stunned by the exchange.

Heather Cox Richardson from Letters from an American

Today, President Donald Trump ambushed Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky in an attack that seemed designed to give the White House an excuse for siding with Russia in its war on Ukraine. Vice President J.D. Vance joined Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office—his attendance at such an event was unusual—in front of reporters. Those reporters included one from Russian state media, but no one from the Associated Press or Reuters, who were not granted access.

In front of the cameras, Trump and Vance engaged in what Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo called a “mob hit,” spouting Russian propaganda and trying to bully Zelensky into accepting a ceasefire and signing over rights to Ukrainian rare-earth minerals without guarantees of security. Vance, especially, seemed determined to provoke a fight in front of the cameras, accusing Zelensky, who has been lavish in his thanks to the U.S. and lawmakers including Trump, of being ungrateful. When that didn’t land, Vance said it was “disrespectful” of Zelensky to “try to litigate this in front of the American media,” when it was the White House that set up the event in front of reporters.

Zelensky maintained his composure and did not rise to the bait, but he did not accept their pro-Russian version of the war. He insisted that it was in fact Russia that invaded Ukraine and is still bombing and killing on a daily basis. His refusal to sit silent and submit meekly to their attack seemed to infuriate them.

Steven Beschloss from America, America

Never forget February 28, 2025, a tragic day when an American president and his vice-president berated and betrayed a democratic ally in the midst of a barbaric war with Russia. Donald Trump’s abusive, demeaning behavior in our Oval Office—in the company of a genuine hero and defender of democracy like Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky—may be the most disgraceful public behavior by any president in our history. It’s hard to see how this grotesque stain will ever wash away.

JD Vance triggered the likely planned assault in front of the television cameras by calling Ukraine’s president “disrespectful,” telling him “you should be thanking the president.” Soon Trump was shouting at Zelensky, telling him that “you’re not really in a good position right now” and “you don’t have the cards right now.”

Jim Acosta

This was a signal across the oceans that the United States of America, proud home of “The Greatest Generation” that stormed the beaches of Normandy to defeat the Nazis, was no longer in the business of saving the world. Instead, Trump will trade vague offers of security for the natural resources of vulnerable, weaker nations - rare earth minerals in the case of Ukraine.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, summarized the new and heartbreaking reality: “Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge.”

What happened in the Oval Office Friday, February 28, 2025, was not the “The most beautiful phone call!” It was the worst American statesmanship I have ever seen in my 75 years of life, and I saw the McCarthy hearings in the 1950’s.

With Ukraine's future in the balance, a high-stakes meeting on Friday between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy turned upside down. Trump lost it. He became the child he was known as. He became again the schoolyard bully that he was known to be in his youth.

Trump became the petulant child. I watched America’s two most senior statesmen vomiting propaganda to over-speak, rudely interrupt, and drown out another head of state. Zelenskyy continued speaking, remained composed, and laid out straight facts.

Steve Brodner from The Greater Quiet saw Trump and Vance vomit the disgusting over-speak. Steve can draw it faster than I can see it. The belligerence of both Trump and Vance was a national disgrace.

I saw it and heard it. You saw it and heard it. Steve Brodner drew it.

Unbelievably, Trump sycophants lauded Trump for standing up for America, when Trump was actually and demonstrably standing up for Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

The tag team jumps Zelenskyy. Two useful idiots three-handing STFU to one courageous and respectful head of state. Disgusting diplomacy.

The stunning exchange, before cameras, was one unlike any other in the Oval Office in modern times. I saw Trump and Vice President JD Vance rebuke Zelenskyy for his handling of the war in Ukraine, again falsely blaming the Ukrainian leader for a conflict that began in 2014 when Russia's Vladimir Putin took Crimea. Trump tried to incorrect Zelenskyy, and say 2015. On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which had actually started in 2014. Trump stood corrected by Zelenskyy for his renown ignorance.

Trump would not listen to Zelenskyy asking for a security agreement to cover when Putin reneges on his word. Putin already has broken his word with Ukraine. Trump defended Putin and wrongfully called Zelenskyy disrespectful. Trump began to tell Zelenskyy about Ukraine’s own manpower. Disrespectful. Disgusting.

The White House said it asked Zelenskyy to leave, which a member of Ukrainian delegation confirmed. Disrespectful. Disgusting. Had I been Zelenskyy, diplomacy would have concluded with my cold cocking Trump.

Trump has already asked the military to shoot our citizens on the streets, “Can we shoot them in the legs?”), but the military refused. You know how far with this that he is going. The next fork in the road, no one knows what will unfold. Grab a flashlight, we are in the dark now.

Know where we are. Know what fork in the road is coming. We have serious work to do to regurgitate ourselves and overcome the coup attempt.