Trump and Vance against Zelenskyj - The Shitshow in the Oval Office

Scandal in the White House: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is thrown out of the White House after a heated discussion with Donald Trump and his vice president JD Vance. This was preceded by a debate about the Ukraine war and the US government's attitude towards Moscow.

It is rare that left-wing and conservative political forces show unity in political debates. It takes blatant misconduct for everyone to point fingers in the same direction. And yet, yesterday, that is exactly what happened in the Oval Office of the United States of America.

Volodymyr Zelensky went on a state visit to the USA to sign a raw materials agreement. But as soon as he arrived, Trump reprimanded Zelensky, who was wearing a sweater, with the words "You look good, you've dressed up today!" It was probably a bad omen for what was to come.

At first, the agenda that followed went according to plan. Zelensky took a seat in the Oval Office of the White House next to Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. A diplomatic exchange between two presidents, one would think. When a Polish journalist asked about the US president's critical proximity to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the discussion became more heated. "You can see how much hatred he [Zelensky] has for Putin, it is very difficult for me to make a deal." JD Vance then emphasized that the USA sees the path to peace and prosperity more in the area of diplomacy. Zelen countered with a question and questioned Russia's diplomatic will by listing Putin's crimes that violated international law (annexation of Crimea and eastern Ukraine) and then asked him rhetorically: "What kind of diplomacy are you talking about?" From this moment on, things got particularly bizarre:

When Zelensky asked Vance whether he had ever been to Ukraine, he answered bluntly: "I have heard and seen the stories, Mr. President [...] Are you denying that you have problems?!" The Ukrainian president emphasized that everyone in war has problems and that the USA does not feel them now, but will feel them in the future. He was then interrupted by Trump: " Don't tell us what we will feel! We are trying to solve a problem. You are in no position to dictate to us what we should feel [...] You have no cards in your hand! [...] You are playing with World War III." Vance replied: "Have you ever shown gratitude?" "Yes, you must be more grateful," Trump confirmed.

This bizarre spectacle, which was broadcast live, ended with the talks being broken off and Volodymyr Zelenskyj leaving early. The reactions to this squabble were not long in coming. Kai Diekmann (formerly of BILD) tweeted: "This is pretty much the worst thing I have ever seen as a political journalist."

ARD presenter Georg Restle criticizes Trump's attitude, "This will be a big spectacle on television" with the statement "No, it is [simply] the pathetic testimony of a US president who has nothing in common with Western values"

There are also expressions of solidarity with Zelenskyj across Europe. Olaf Scholz assured that they would seek a " common path to a lasting and just peace" . French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "There is an aggressor: Russia, there is a victim: Ukraine [...] It was right to help Ukraine and to continue to do so."

Many declarations, a lot of solidarity. But in the end, maybe it's just hot air?! The USA is Ukraine's largest financier with 114 billion US dollars (as of March 1, 2025). If this constant were to disappear in the future, Selensky would probably have to ask the European Union for further financial support to defend itself against Putin. It remains to be seen whether the EU will do this or can only "impress with moral distinction" (Ulf Poschardt, WELT).