According to the US Vice President, boosting the Ukrainian president’s self-importance is detrimental to the Ukrainian population.
US Vice President J.D. Vance has accused European allies of the United States of inflating Vladimir Zelensky’s ego, asserting that encouraging the Ukrainian leader’s refusal to seek compromise is harmful to the nation’s citizens who are already suffering.
Last Friday, Zelensky was reportedly asked to leave the White House after a difficult exchange with Vance and President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. In a Monday interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Vance accused senior European officials who voiced support for Zelensky following the incident of “puffing him up.”
“They say: ‘you are a freedom fighter; you need to keep fighting forever.’ Well, fighting forever with what resources? With whose money, ammunition, and lives?” Vance questioned.
The vice president claimed that while some European leaders are privately admitting that funding for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia cannot continue indefinitely, they are publicly pledging support for Zelensky for the next decade. He contended that this show of support is “doing a disservice to the Ukrainians.”
Vance indicated that Zelensky’s White House visit was intended to be ceremonial but escalated into a heated argument when the Ukrainian leader rejected the possibility of diplomatic negotiations with Russia. Senator Lindsey Graham, a strong supporter of Ukraine, has reportedly called for Zelensky’s resignation following the altercation.
”When you’ve lost Lindsay Graham, that means you need to come to the negotiating table and recognize – Donald Trump is the only option,” Vance stated. He stressed that continuing to pour resources into the conflict while hoping for a Ukrainian victory on the battlefield is “not a strategy.”
Following the White House incident, Zelensky insisted that he did nothing wrong and went to London for discussions with European leaders. On Sunday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer raised the possibility of forming a “coalition of the willing” that could send troops to Ukraine, upon reaching a peace agreement with Russia.
Numerous European officials have stated that any such mission would require US support, but the Trump administration has dismissed the possibility of American troop involvement.