Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky came to the White House on Friday to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in search of more help in his war with Russia. Instead, he did the worst thing possible: he got into a public shouting match with the man who could help Ukraine the most, Donald Trump, and in about five minutes, he probably sealed his loss in the war against Russia.
The Oval Office Ukraine Erruption, Explained
In what was supposed to be a photo op of glad-handing and smiles in the Oval Office, Zelensky got irritated by Vice President J.D. Vance and tried to belittle him on live television.
Vance had allowed Zelensky to speak without interruption. Still, Vance’s patience ran out when Zelensky mocked the vice president’s position on the need for diplomacy – and called him by his first name – by saying “what kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about?”
Vance fired back, saying “I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country.” Zelensky attempted to counter, but the vice president cut him off and said, “Mr. President, Mr. President, with respect, I think its disrespectful of you to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate in front of the American media.”
It only got worse from there. Instead of reading the room and keeping the rest of his thoughts to himself, saving any difficult conversations for behind closed doors, he continued arguing with Vance and then escalated the verbal altercation with Trump as well.
It was a fatal miscalculation because Zelensky was in Washington to try to convince Trump to expand his support of Ukraine.
Just two days ago, Zelensky made a video explaining his objectives in coming to Washington, saying “For me and for all of us in the world, it is crucial that America’s assistance is not stopped.” And in front of cameras broadcasting live around the world, Zelensky chose to lecture the vice president and tell the president what he’s going to feel.
Ukraine’s Big Mistake
He just couldn’t keep his mouth shut and continued for more than five painful minutes. If there was any doubt about how much damage he inflicted on his cause, minutes after the session ended and the rest of the meeting cancelled, Trump posted on Truth Social that Zelensky “disrespected the United States of American in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he’s ready for peace.”
In all probability, Trump will now refuse to help Ukraine in any way and is likely to more readily agree to Putin’s terms on ending the conflict, no matter how draconian.
Zelensky’s Crucial Mistake
In truth, there was no real prospect that Zelensky could have come to the White House and convinced Trump to back him militarily.
The best he could have genuinely hoped for in his meeting was to get the U.S. president to push for the least offensive end-of-war terms from Putin.
However, this ugly display in the Oval Office exposed Zelensky’s refusal to acknowledge what was clear for a long time. There’s nothing new in his actions, as it turns out.
As I have been arguing in these pages since 2021, Zelensky should have taken the diplomatic path to prevent the war from starting (by refusing to implement the 2015 Minsk Accords or his unwillingness to suck down his pride and take the deal offered by Putin in December 2021), and should have sought a negotiated end weeks into the war, in Istanbul in April 2022.
But Zelensky has always refused to take the path that preserved the greatest amount of his territory or preserved the people over whom he leads. He has rejected every opportunity to end the war, and even now, he still appears unwilling to acknowledge the military reality that the war is unwinnable and seems unable to acknowledge that there is no peace deal to be had that advantages Kyiv. Instead, he has chosen to act out the role of a presumed modern-day Winston Churchill, rejecting every diplomatic overture offered by the Russians, choosing to fight.
That worked under the previous U.S. president because Joe Biden was perfectly willing to join with Zelensky in ignoring basic combat realities to keep the war going, so long as Russia was “weakened” in the process. Biden’s view, however, never had a fantasy that Russia would be militarily defeated because Biden realized that if Ukraine were to win, it would almost certainly push Russia into a nuclear escalation – something even Biden was keen to avoid.
Zelensky, however, was and remains unconcerned about such potentialities, going so far earlier this month on Piers Morgan to advocate to be given nuclear weapons with which to fight Russia.
If it wasn’t clear before, it should not be crystal clear: Zelensky cannot engage in diplomatic talks aimed at ending the war. He has proven he is incapable of making rational decisions.
What Happens Now?
This episode will likely free Trump’s hand with European leaders. If he says that Zelensky is not a valid partner with whom he can make peace, Trump will walk away. Who in Europe will argue that Trump is wrong?
Even Kier Starmer of the UK and Manuel Macron of France tried to change Trump’s mind about supporting Ukraine during visits earlier this week. Yet, both were perfectly cordial and pleasant in front of the cameras in the Oval Office. They must have cringed as they watched Zelensky destroy any hope of moving Trump in Europe’s direction.
The chances are now high that Trump will more enthusiastically pursue what he sees as America’s best interests in this conflict: to see it come to a quick end and move on to more pressing matters between Washington and Moscow, irrespective of what it does for Ukraine.
Zelensky will now have to deal with the fallout and the likely diminished support from the U.S. and either face the reality that he will now have to negotiate an end to the war himself – or continue ignoring reality and fight on, pointlessly sacrificing potentially hundreds of thousands of more Ukrainian soldiers.
If he chooses the latter, the danger will rise, and he could face a riot from his own soldiers. This is a situation of Zelensky’s own making, and now he will face the consequences one way or another.
About the Author: Daniel L. Davis
Daniel L. Davis retired from the U.S. Army as a Lt. Col. after 21 years of active service and is now a 19FortyFive Contributing Editor, writing a weekly column. He was deployed into combat zones four times in his career: Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Iraq in 2009, and Afghanistan twice (2005, 2011). Davis was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor at the Battle of 73 Easting in 1991 and awarded a Bronze Star Medal in Afghanistan in 2011. He is the author of The Eleventh Hour in 2020 America. Davis gained some national notoriety in 2012 when he returned from Afghanistan and published a report detailing how senior U.S. military and civilian leaders told the American public and Congress the war was going well while, in reality, it was headed to defeat. Events since confirmed his analysis was correct. Davis was also the recipient of the 2012 Ridenhour Prize for Truth-telling. Currently, you can find Lt Col. Daniel Davis on his YouTube channel, “Daniel Davis Deep Dive,” where he analyzes war, national security, politics, foreign policy, and breaking news with expert commentary.
