Vice President JD Vance delivered a pointed message to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Fox News’ Hannity on Monday, following Friday’s heated White House meeting: “My message to Ukrainians, to President Zelensky, is when you’ve lost Lindsey Graham, that means you need to come to the negotiation table and recognize Donald Trump is the only game in town.”
This statement comes as President Donald Trump has ordered a pause on all military aid to Ukraine, according to reports from Bloomberg and the Associated Press.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Monday for comment.
The Context
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week entered its fourth year, with the U.S. previously providing billions in military and humanitarian support.
The Trump administration has significantly shifted America’s approach to the conflict, suggesting Ukraine might bear responsibility for the war and describing Zelensky as a “dictator” who should hold new elections.
This policy reversal could fundamentally alter Ukraine’s defense capabilities at a critical moment in the conflict.
What To Know
Friday’s controversial Oval Office meeting was initially scheduled for Trump and Zelensky to sign a minerals deal and discuss potential paths to end the Russia-Ukraine war. The meeting deteriorated when Vance confronted Zelensky about a September visit to a munitions plant in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
“You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October. Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who is trying to save your country,” Vance said during the meeting.
Republicans allege that Zelensky’s Pennsylvania visit was improper campaign support for then-Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Kamala Harris, despite Zelensky’s insistence that the visit was diplomatic in nature.
Zelensky had also previously described Vance as “too radical” in a New Yorker interview, further straining relations.
Graham-Zelensky Exchange Escalates Tensions
The reference to Senator Lindsey Graham by Vance is particularly significant, as the South Carolina Republican has been among Ukraine’s most vocal and consistent GOP supporters since the 2022 invasion, frequently advocating for increased military aid and stronger sanctions against Russia.
But Graham ripped Zelensky on Fox News following the Oval Office discord: “This was a missed opportunity, and the question for me for the Ukrainian people: I don’t know if Zelensky can ever get you to where you want to go with the United States. Either he dramatically changes, or you need to get somebody new.”
In a Monday meeting with the press at Stansted Airport in the U.K., Zelensky responded to Graham’s comments: “I can give [Lindsey Graham] citizenship of Ukraine, and he will become a citizen of our country. And then his voice will start to gain weight, and I will hear him as a citizen of Ukraine on the topic of who must be the president.” He added that “the president of Ukraine will have to be chosen not in Lindsey Graham’s home but in Ukraine.”
Trump has pushed for Ukraine to hold elections as part of a three-stage plan for peace agreed upon by U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia. The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, recently pushed back as it voted to affirm Zelensky’s presidency and hold elections after peace is achieved, as it is illegal to hold presidential elections in Ukraine while martial law is being upheld.
In a post to X, formerly Twitter, Graham responded to Zelensky’s statements: “Unfortunately, until there is an election, no one has a voice in Ukraine.”
What People Are Saying
Zelensky said in a post to X after the Oval Office meeting: “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.”
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council said on X: “Tens of thousands of people are dead, multiple cities and towns have been almost completely destroyed, and millions of people are displaced. And JD Vance laughs and smiles with Hannity about the invasion like it’s a game.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement: “Russia illegally and unjustifiably invaded Ukraine. For three years now, Ukrainians have fought with courage and resilience. Their fight for democracy, freedom, and sovereignty is a fight that matters to us all.”
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson: “What President Trump was trying to do in the Oval Office when Zelensky acted so inappropriately, in my view, was to offer them an agreement that would be a win-win across the board. The mineral rights agreement is a fantastic solution to bring about an end to this conflict.”
What Happens Next
Trump has ordered a pause on all military aid to Ukraine following the meeting last week at the White House, Bloomberg and the Associated Press reported.
A senior Defense Department official spoke about internal discussions on the condition of anonymity, telling Bloomberg that the aid freeze will remain in place until the president determines that Ukrainian leaders are making a genuine effort toward peace.
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