Zelenskyy to meet with Trump at the White House amid peace talk efforts and possible minerals deal
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Trump Calls Zelenskyy 'Disrespectful' In Public Confrontation at Oval Office
Above: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Donald Trump, and JD Vance in the Oval Office at the White House on Feb. 28, 2025. Image copyright: Andrew Harnik/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Democratic narrative
The Ukrainian position has been consistently undermined by broken Russian promises and aggression since 2014, with diplomatic solutions proving ineffective as Russia continued to kill Ukrainian citizens and violate cease-fire agreements. Ukraine can't simply accept terms that don't guarantee its security and sovereignty. Instead of living in a disinformation space created by Russia, Trump should fight for freedom and democracy.
Republican narrative
This was Zelenskyy's most critical diplomatic and political moment since the war began three years ago, but he blew it. In berating Washington, he forgot that Ukraine would have already lost the war without US military equipment and financial assistance. As Kyiv isn't in a position to dictate terms at the negotiating table or continue fighting indefinitely, Zelenskyy must accept realistic peace terms instead of disrespecting the US and gambling with World War III.