JD Vance criticizes Zelenski, after he accused of “justifying” the Russian war in Ukraine, an echo of the dispute in the Oval Office
US Vice President JD Vance (right) speaks during the meeting between US President Donald Trump (Center) and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodimir Zelenski (left), in the White House Oval office in Washington, DC, USA, February 28.
The Ukrainian president said that some officials in the US government fall victim to Russian misinformation and promote an “altered reality” on the part that started the war, writes Reuters.
US Vice -President JD Vance responded Monday to accusations launched by Volodimir Zelenski, according to which his position would justify Russia's invasion in Ukraine, declaring that he has been condemning Moscow since 2022, but has since tried to understand the strategic objectives of both parties to find a solution.
“This does not mean that you support the Russian cause or that you support the large -scale invasion, but you have to try to understand what their strategic red lines are, in the same way you have to try to understand what the Ukrainians are trying to get from the conflict,” he said.
“I think it is a kind of absurd for Zelenski to tell the (American) government, which is currently maintaining its efforts, that we are somehow on the Russians.”
He said that this type of rhetoric “is certainly not productive”.
Shortly before, Zelenski accused Vance to “justify” Russia's brutal invasion in Ukraine, his most critical comment to the US vice-president from the heated exchange in the Oval Bureau in February.
In the show 60 minutes, Zelenski said that some officials in the US government fall victim to Russian misinformation and promote an “altered reality” on the part that started the war.
“I think, unfortunately, Russian narratives prevail in the US,” he said, according to CBS. “This speaks of the enormous influence of Russia's informational policy on America, American policy and American politicians,” he added.
Zelenski highlighted Vance, accusing him of “justifying Putin's actions.”
“I tried to explain:” You can't look for something in the middle. There is a aggressor and there is a victim. The Russians are the aggressor, and we are the victim, “he added, referring to the tense conversation from the White House in February.
During that meeting, Vance named Zelenski “disrespectful” because he claimed that Moscow would not respect a negotiated fire and quarreled because he did not show enough gratitude for American help.
When Zelenski invited Vance to visit Ukraine to see with his eyes the damage caused by Russia, the vice president accused of taking people to a “propaganda tour”.
