US Senator warned Zelenskyy before Oval office showdown
Washington: Just hours before the highly contentious Oval Office meeting that captured global attention, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham cautioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy against engaging in a public dispute with Donald Trump. Graham, a long-time Trump ally, advised Zelenskyy that the former US president does not take criticism well and that it was crucial to avoid confrontation.
“I told him this morning, ‘Don’t take the bait. Don’t let the media or anyone else get you into an argument with President Trump. What he’s doing today is resetting the relationship,’” Graham told reporters. The senator was part of a bipartisan delegation that met with Zelenskyy ahead of his meeting with Trump on February 28.
However, the Oval Office exchange took a sharp turn. What began as a diplomatic discussion quickly deteriorated when Zelenskyy raised concerns about trusting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s assurances on ending the war. US Vice President JD Vance immediately pushed back, criticising the Ukrainian leader for airing such concerns publicly. The discussion became increasingly tense, with Trump and Vance accusing Zelenskyy of being ungrateful and disrespectful.
“What I saw in the Oval Office was disrespectful, and I don’t know if we could ever do business with Zelenskyy again,” Graham said following the meeting. “I think most Americans saw a guy that they would not want to go into business with, the way he handled the meeting.”
The fallout was swift. Trump abruptly cancelled a scheduled joint press conference with Zelenskyy and ordered him out of the White House. A proposed minerals deal between the US and Ukraine, which would have granted American access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, was left unsigned. Additionally, a planned White House lunch between the two delegations was scrapped.
Graham continued to criticise Zelenskyy, stating, “His approach was just over the top.” He praised Trump’s handling of the situation, adding, “I have never been more proud of the President. I was very proud of JD Vance standing up for our country.”
When asked if Zelenskyy should consider stepping down, Graham said, “He either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change.”
Speculation grew over whether the confrontation was a spontaneous outburst or a calculated move by Trump and Vance. Sources told The New York Times that the two leaders had been seeking to derail the minerals deal, which was intended to help Ukraine repay US military aid received under former President Joe Biden.
Following the heated exchange, Ukraine’s delegation, including Ambassador Oksana Markarova, left the White House visibly shaken. Markarova reportedly stopped taking notes midway through the meeting as tensions escalated. Trump later told reporters he did not want to embolden Zelenskyy if he was unwilling to negotiate peace with Russia. “You can’t embolden somebody who does not have the cards,” he remarked.
