Someone should tell Zelensky that beggars can’t be choosers, let alone try to start World War 3.
Oksana Markarova, Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, appeared to be incredibly distraught with her head in her hand during a heated shouting match between Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday (Feb 28). Her reaction, captured in photos and videos, speaks volumes about how a first step towards a peace deal was destroyed due to ego and wrong expectations.
What was supposed to be a signing ceremony – a deal securing minerals rights for the US to repay the hundreds of billions the American taxpayers sent to Ukraine – quickly spiralled into total chaos. After initially rejecting the minerals deal twice, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky finally agreed to sign on the dotted line. But the second the cameras started rolling, the former comedian flipped the script.
Unless the Ukrainian president has been planning to play the US Commander-in-Chief and the American people in front of the world’s media, it was an absolute tactical disaster trying to force Trump’s hand. Did Zelensky really think there would still be free lunches under the administration of US President Donald Trump, the same way he had played Joe Biden?
If Zelensky was smart, he should have signed the deal, cashed his ill-gotten money from billions of dollars from American aid money and get ready to retire with his wife’s sports car, luxury mansions and luxury yachts. Like it or not, Ukraine has lost. Thinking he could humiliate Trump into reversing the US president’s pro-Putin policy is both childish and dangerous.
It’s true that Ukraine has no cards to play as it depends entirely on American dollars and weapons to defend against Russian forces. The European Union and NATO can’t protect Ukraine without Uncle Sam. Zelensky’s ego could be bruised and challenged in front of the world’s media, hence his sudden change of mind as he was used to getting his way under the Biden administration.
Sure, call it bullying or extortion or whatever you want. But the last thing Zelensky, and his supporters in Europe, want is to provoke not only Trump’s ego, but also Vice-President JD Vance into a shouting match at the White House. Perhaps Zelensky thought, or was taught by European leaders, that he should show some strength like Russian Vladimir Putin in order to get some respect from Trump.
We have never seen anything like this in international diplomacy, let alone in the Oval Office. There will be consequences for Zelensky, as history showed that “President Trump is not very kind to people who attack him personally”. Look at what happened to former world’s richest man – Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. Both billionaires are now busy sucking up to Trump.
So, how did Zelensky’s visit to the White House turn into one of the most heated political confrontations, which did not happen until about 40 minutes of what appeared to be a friendly discussion? In the first 40 minutes, Zelensky kept trying to go beyond what was negotiated in the deal. The argument started when Trump pointed out that it would be hard to make a deal if “you talk about Putin the way Zelensky does”.
Zelensky kept insisting that the Russians were the invaders and cannot be trusted. All hell broke loose when Vance spoke and the Ukrainian leader started to argue in a hostile manner. The US Vice President saw it as a challenge and retaliated to Zelensky hostile questions. It showed not only Zelensky’s arrogance and incompetence, but also his lack of emotional intelligence.
It doesn’t matter that the European leaders supported Zelensky. The man whom Trump and Vance accused of disrespecting the US is screwed when Ukrainian’s biggest cheerleader, Senator Lindsey Graham, slammed Zelensky and told reporters that it’s uncertain whether the US can ever do business with the Ukrainian president – even suggesting he should resign.
More importantly, Graham said – “I have never been more proud of the president. I was very proud of JD Vance standing up for our country. What I saw in the Oval Office was disrespectful. And I don’t know if we can ever do business with Zelensky again”. Trump then kicked Zelensky out and the White House staff happily ate the lunch prepared for the Ukrainian president.
After cancelling a scheduled press conference with Zelensky, President Trump then wrote on social media – “He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace”. Someone should tell Zelensky that beggars can’t be choosers, let alone try to start World War 3. – Finance Twitter