Topics: JD Vance, Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russia, Ukraine, US News, Politics, Social Media
US Vice President JD Vance's comment to Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his latest meeting after the infamous televised scene at the Oval Office in February hasn’t gone down well with people.
Vance’s comments come after the controversial meeting at the start of the year when President Donald Trump halted aid to Ukraine during his fallout with President Zelenskyy.
During the talks, Trump and Zelenskyy got into an argument during a meeting in the Oval Office, while Vance and Zelenskyy also became heated as Vance told the Ukrainian leader he was being disrespectful to the US.
"In this entire meeting, have you said thank you?" Vance demanded. "You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October, offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who's trying to save your country."
Advert
"People are dying … you're running low on soldiers," Trump continued.
The Ukrainian president was also criticised for not wearing a suit, something that he swore not to wear as long as his country remains at war with Russia.
Zelenskyy left the White House early and cancelled a planned press conference afterwards.
However, Vance now claims he and the president have made amends in their latest meeting at the White House, which took place earlier this week alongside other European leaders.
Speaking with Fox News, Vance was asked to ‘take us into the room’ when he first met Zelenskyy again.
Vance said that when 'Zelenskyy walked into the oval office’, he was ‘chatting with him’ and other senior officials.
“I said Mr. President, so long as you behave, I won't say anything. It was a good little icebreaker," Vance said.
People on Twitter had a lot to say about telling Zelenskyy to ‘behave’, with some branding him a ‘jerk’.
One person wrote: “When Vance recounts this ‘icebreaker,’ it reads less like confidence and more like a rebranding effort.”
Someone else said: “Nice try, but they showed their true face last February. These guys are on Russia's side and want to cover this a bit up now since it was just too obvious. But cannot unsee.”
Another stated: “What an incredible nasty jerk he is.”
A fourth scathed: “What an idiot! It’s Vance who owes Zelensky an apology for his stunt on February 28th. And I have no doubt that he would attempt another humiliation if European leaders didn’t accompany Zelensky to Washington.”
During the event, Zelenskyy fired shots at the American reporter who had begun the discussion about his lack of a suit in February when he joined Trump in the Oval Office for a news conference on 18 August.
Brian Glenn, Chief White House Correspondent for Real America’s Voice, said to him on Monday: “First of all, President Zelenskyy, you look fabulous in that suit. You look good.”
Trump then leaned in to tell the Ukrainian leader: “That's the one that attacked you.”
Zelenskyy then fired back at the reporter: “You are in the same suit. I changed, you have not."
