U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance strongly rebuked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on February 19, warning that his public criticism of Donald Trump could backfire and jeopardize U.S. support for Ukraine.
In an interview with National Pulse, Vance accused Zelenskyy of attacking the very leader responsible for Ukraine’s survival.
“He’s attacking the only reason this country exists, publicly, right now. And it’s disgraceful. It’s not something that is going to move the President of the United States. In fact, it’s going to have the opposite effect,” Vance stated, as cited by The National Pulse.
Vance emphasized that publicly challenging Trump—who has pushed for a negotiated peace deal between Ukraine and Russia—could harm Kyiv’s position.
“I know the President very well. This is not a good way to deal with President Trump,” Vance warned, hinting that such criticism could affect future U.S. policy toward Ukraine.
European Leaders Defend Zelenskyy
Vance’s remarks come amid growing tensions between Trump’s administration and European leaders, many of whom rejected Trump’s recent claims that Zelenskyy is a dictator and questioned Ukraine’s democratic legitimacy.
As U.S. diplomatic efforts with Russia intensify, Kyiv finds itself increasingly at odds with Washington’s new approach to ending the war.
