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Russia-Ukraine War

World leaders react to explosive Oval Office clash between Trump, Vance, and Zelensky

Leaders from around the world are reacting to the explosive White House meeting that ended negotiations between the US and Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 28, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Brian Snyder
Maite Knorr-Evans
Maite joined the AS USA in 2021, bringing her experience as a research analyst investigating illegal logging to the team. Maite’s interest in politics propelled her to pursue a degree in international relations and a master's in political philosophy. At AS USA, Maite combines her knowledge of political economy and personal finance to empower readers by providing answers to their most pressing questions.
Update:

World leaders are reacting to the explosive meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that took place earlier on Thursday. Following the meeting, the Trump administration halted negotiations with Ukraine—a setback for European leaders who had hoped the president’s stance on the conflict was shifting.

In response to comments made by the U.S. administration, many EU and NATO members are voicing their support for Ukraine and the war-torn country.

Polish President Donald Tusk, who met with Vice President JD Vance during his visit to Europe last week, was among the first to send a message to the Ukrainian leader on X.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, and many others have made similar posts in the last few hours.

Fredierch Metz, who is expected to become Germany’s next chancellor after his party came out as the most-voted force in recent elections, wrote: “Dear Volodymyr, we stand with #Ukraine in good and in testing times. We must never confuse aggressor and victim in this terrible war."

However, not all leaders shared these sentiments in their messages. A close ally of Donald Trump, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, left the Ukrainian leader out of his response. “Strong men make peace, weak men make war,” said Orbán in his post on X, congratulating Trump, and saying he “stood bravely for peace.”

Some leaders warn of the implications of the disastrous meeting

The message of French political leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon struck a different tone. Mélenchon said the meeting was an unveiling of the diplomatic tactics the US administration has used when the media is not present. Describing the meeting as “humiliating” for Zelenskyy, the French leader said, “Europeans are discovering how the U.S. has been treating South America and its leaders for a century.“

In a follow-up post, Mélenchon, added that Zelenskyy “was courageous‚“ describing his confidence as the only barrier between Europe’s global ”status” being downgraded to “a simple colony of the USA.” 1,978.77

European Union leaders show strong support for Ukraine

The two highest-ranking leaders in the European Union send their support.

Negotiations have been called off between the Trump administration and Ukraine. However, talks between Russian and US diplomatic teams are expected to continue in the coming weeks.

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