Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) characterised Friday’s contentious assembly between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “bad day” for U.S. international coverage.
“A nasty day for America’s international coverage. Ukraine desires independence, free markets and rule of legislation. It desires to be a part of the West. Russia hates us and our Western values. We ought to be clear that we stand for freedom,” Bacon mentioned in a Friday textual content message to The Hill.
Throughout Zelensky’s Friday go to to Washington, Trump and Vice President Vance went off on the Ukrainian chief, saying he was ungrateful for the billions of {dollars} of assist the U.S. has offered to the war-torn Japanese European nation and that he has little or no leverage in negotiations with Russia.
The assembly was initially heat, with the commander-in-chief lauding the bravery of Ukraine’s army, nevertheless it went off the rails as soon as Kyiv’s chief pressed Vance for arguing {that a} diplomatic settlement with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin may very well be solid to finish the three-year battle.
Ukraine’s president pointed to Russia’s invasion of its neighbor’s territory, Putin refusing to change prisoners and backtracking on earlier ceasefire efforts.
“I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance mentioned on Friday. “Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems, you should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to his conflict.”
Zelensky urged that Washington didn’t really feel the implications of the battle as a result of its distance from Japanese Europe, however that is likely to be completely different in years forward.
“Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel because you’re in no position… to dictate what we’re going to feel,” Trump mentioned in response. “We’re going to feel very good and very strong. You’re right now, not in a very good position.”
“You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards,” the U.S. president mentioned, warning Zelensky that he’s “gambling with the lives of millions of people, you’re gambling with World War III… and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country, that’s backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have.”
After the fiery assembly on the White Home, Trump mentioned in a Fact Social put up that Ukraine’s president will not be prepared to succeed in a peace deal.
“It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations,” Trump wrote. “I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
Zelensky left the White Home. The joint press convention, that was scheduled after the assembly, was known as off.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio thanked Trump on Friday, after the heated huddle with Zelensky, for “standing up for America in a way that no President has ever had the courage to do before. Thank you for putting America First. America is with you!”
-Mychael Schnell contributed
