On Friday evening, the whole world watched live as US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky met in an unprecedented meeting in the Oval Office. According to the protocol staff and the White House pool journalists, they’ve never seen anything like this in these walls.
Read more about how the meeting took place in our article – here.
At the end of the meeting, Trump and US Vice President Jay D’Vance called the unconvinced Zelensky ungrateful and, according to CBS, asked him to leave the White House.
«Such a scene was impossible to imagine in the White House», – said one of the journalists, leaving the Oval Office.
How did Ukraine and the world react to this extraordinary meeting?
Europe – for Ukraine
European leaders, responding to the meeting of Donald Trump and Vladimir Zelensky, unanimously supported Ukraine.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Cyrus Starmer, after a fight between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zeleny expressed «unwavering support for Ukraine».
German Chancellor Olaf Schaltz: No one wants peace more than the citizens of Ukraine. Therefore, we are all together looking for a way to secure and fair peace. Ukraine can rely on Germany and Europe»
Prime Minister of Italy George Meloni:
Any rift in the West makes us all weaker and serves those who would like to see the end of our civilization. Not its power or influence, but its fundamental principles, and above all freedom. Disagreements do not benefit anyone. What is needed is an immediate summit with the US, Europe and their allies to honestly discuss how we intend to respond to today’s serious challenges, starting with Ukraine, which we have jointly defended in recent years, and those that await us in the future. With such a proposal, Italy intends to address its partners in the next few hours».
The head of the Danish MFA, Lars Locke Rasmussen: For Ukraine this is a blow below the belt. There must be room for tough discussions – even between friends. But when it happens like this, in front of the cameras, only one comes out as a winner. He who sits in the Kremlin»
«You are not alone», – said the Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who is in Portugal, recalled that in the current situation, Russia is the aggressor and the Ukrainians are the people who have been attacked.
«We must respect those who have fought from the beginning», he said.
It is also known that Zelensky and Macro spoke on the phone after the Ukrainian president left the White House, but details of the conversation are unknown.
«Ukraine, Spain with you», – wrote in X the head of the government of Spain Pedro Sanchez in several languages, including Ukrainian.
The Russian delegation at the Russian-US talks held on 18 February in Saudi Arabia only stated that the confrontation between Trump and Zelensky had become «historic».
«The truth is simple. Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia aggressor. Ukraine defends its freedom – and ours. We support Ukraine», wrote in X the President of Moldova Maia Sandu.
Ukraine is Europe! We stand with Ukraine. We will strengthen our support for Ukraine, that they could continue to fight off the aggressor», – wrote in social networks head of the EU foreign policy service Kaya Kallas.
But she also made a more far-reaching conclusion: Today it has become clear that the free world needs a new leader. We, the Europeans, have to accept this challenge.
Statements in support of Zelenski and Ukraine were also made by Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
The only European leader to oppose it was Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Strong people create peace, weak people create war. Today, President Donald Trump has bravely spoken out for peace. Even if it was hard for many to learn. Thank you, Mr. President!
