Kyiv, 1 March 2025 — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky underlined the importance of keeping Ukraine’s war effort in global focus, a day after a heated exchange with US President Donald Trump during his Washington visit.
“It is very important for us that Ukraine is heard and that no one forgets about it, neither during the war nor after,” Zelensky said in a social media post, sharing footage of his meeting with the Ukrainian community in Washington.
He thanked supporters for their diplomatic, financial, political, and even prayerful backing.
Oval Office Showdown with Trump and Vance
Zelensky’s Friday meeting with Trump and Vice President JD Vance was intended to rally support for Kyiv’s war effort against Russia.
However, the discussion turned confrontational, with Trump and Vance criticizing Zelensky’s stance on diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin and accusing him of lacking gratitude for US assistance.
The fallout led to the abrupt cancellation of the rest of Zelensky’s White House visit, deepening tensions between Ukraine and its most critical wartime ally.
Global Reaction to White House Rift
The publicized Oval Office clash sparked international concern, with European leaders reaffirming their support for Ukraine. The diplomatic rift also jeopardized a minerals-sharing agreement, seen as a crucial step toward a US-brokered truce.
The episode has raised fresh doubts about future US support for Ukraine as it continues to resist Russia’s 2022 invasion.
