02 March,2025 08:18 AM IST | Kyiv | Agencies
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky openly clashed in the Oval Office of the White House. Pic/PTI
Soon after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky left the White House on Friday after an astonishing Oval Office blow-out with President Donald Trump, Ukrainians rallied around Zelensky as a defender of his country's interests.
The shouting match that unfolded in the final minutes of the highly anticipated meeting between the two leaders seemed to dash, at least for now, Ukrainian hopes that the United States could be locked in as a reliable partner in helping fend off, and conclude, Russia's three-year onslaught.
But many Ukrainians seemed unfazed by the blow-out between Zelensky and Trump, expressing a sense that the Ukrainian leader had stood up for their country's dignity and interests by firmly maintaining his stance in the face of chiding from some of the world's most powerful men.
The meeting at the White House was meant to produce a bilateral agreement that would establish a joint investment fund for reconstructing Ukraine, a deal that was seen as a potential step toward bringing an end to the war and tying the two countries' economies together for years to come.
ALSO READ
Ukrainian social media was also awash in praise for Zelensky late Friday, with officials on the national, regional and local level chiming in to voice their support for their leader.
President Zelensky thanked US President Trump and the country for its support after departing the White House. Minutes after his departure, Zelensky took to X and said, "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."
A senior Ukrainian official said Zelensky spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and President of the European Council Antonio Costa after he left the White House, describing all the conversations as "supportive" of the Ukrainian leader.
Some posts on X were directed to Zelensky. EU Commission President as well as leaders from Germany, Estonia, Sweden, Austria, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, Poland and Spain, among others, also offered their support to Ukraine.
Russia has said it was a "miracle" that US President Donald Trump restrained himself from hitting Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky during their verbal clash in the Oval Office, as it mocked the Ukrainian leader after the unprecedented showdown.
Maria Zakharova. Pic/X
Reacting to their spat, Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram on Friday that Zelensky's biggest lie of all his lies was his assertion in the White House that the Kyiv regime in 2022 was alone, without support.
"How Trump and Vance held back from hitting that scumbag is a miracle of restraint," she said. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also reacted to the incident, calling Zelensky an "insolent pig" who had received "a proper slap down in the Oval Office."
"Trump told the cocaine clown the truth to his face: the Kyiv regime is gambling with World War III... That's a good thing, but not enough "we must stop military aid to the Nazi machine," Medvedev, who is now deputy head of Russia's Security Council, said.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
