Zinger Key Points
- Rubio criticizes Zelensky's aggressive tone in White House meeting, questioning his true desire for peace in Ukraine's war with Russia.
- After the chaotic meeting, Rubio urges Zelensky to apologize and return to the White House when serious about pursuing peace.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to apologize after a high-stakes meeting with President Donald Trump in the White House spiraled into what Rubio described as a “fiasco.”
The heated encounter between the Ukrainian leader and top U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance, quickly devolved into a shouting match, with Rubio questioning Zelensky’s commitment to peace in Ukraine’s war with Russia.
In an exclusive interview with CNN, Rubio expressed frustration over Zelenskyy’s confrontational tone, saying there was no need for the Ukrainian leader to be so antagonistic.
He emphasized that Trump’s role as a dealmaker should have prompted a more diplomatic approach, warning that Zelenskyy’s aggressive stance might suggest he’s not genuinely seeking peace.
Also Read: European Leaders Rally Behind Zelenskyy Amid Trump Dispute: ‘Free World Needs A New Leader’
“Maybe Zelenskyy doesn’t want a peace deal. He says he does, but maybe he doesn’t,” CNN quoted Rubio, highlighting the tension between the two leaders.
The meeting, which was supposed to focus on ending the conflict, instead ended with Trump ordering Zelenskyy to leave the White House.
A scheduled joint press conference was scrapped, and future U.S. support for Ukraine now hangs in the balance.
Rubio was blunt about the aftermath, saying Zelenskyy wasted valuable time and should apologize for the disruption.
He also criticized Zelenskyy’s response to Vance’s comments on diplomacy, calling it “disrespectful” and counterproductive, CNN added.
Rubio emphasized the importance of diplomacy in ending the war but warned that peace would not come through name-calling.
He stated that Trump remains the only world leader capable of brokering peace, adding that Ukraine needs to approach negotiations with seriousness.
“It’s an unsustainable, bloody war that has to come to an end,” Rubio said, urging Zelenskyy to focus on genuine peace efforts if he truly desires an end to the conflict.
Rubio stresses in the CNN interview that Zelenskyy would be welcome back to the White House without emphasizing the importance of genuine peace efforts.
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