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Secretary of State Marco Rubio has fended off criticism among some US lawmakers over the Trump administration’s handling of Ukraine.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you don’t follow us on Instagram (allow us to plug our insta, @realnewsnobullshit), last week’s Oval Office meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky erupted into a heated confrontation, marking a low point in US-Ukraine relations. Tensions flared when Trump bluntly told Zelensky that Ukraine must either strike a deal or risk losing US support entirely. He said, “You’re either going to make a deal, or we’re out. And if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. But you don’t have the cards.” Vice President Vance further escalated the situation, accusing Zelensky of going on “propaganda tours” instead of seriously negotiating peace, which left Zelensky visibly shocked. Zelensky said he was grateful for US support but pushed back on Trump’s ultimatum, stressing that any peace agreement must be “real and just.”
What’s going on now: During an appearance on ABC, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the Trump administration’s approach to Ukraine while criticizing President Zelenskyy for his conduct during a tense Oval Office meeting. Rubio argued that Zelenskyy had derailed diplomatic efforts by directly challenging US officials. He said, “What Zelensky did, unfortunately, is he found every opportunity to try to Ukraine-splain on every issue.” Rubio accused the Ukrainian leader of being combative rather than working toward a peace process, adding, “We have to bring [Russia] to the table. You’re not going to bring them to the table if you’re calling them names, if you’re being antagonistic.”
When pressed on why Trump himself had called Zelenskyy a dictator, Rubio said, “We’ve spent three years calling Vladimir Putin names. That’s not the point now.”
This all comes as both Democrat and Republican lawmakers have criticized the administration’s handling of Ukraine, with some accusing the White House of siding with Moscow. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy went so far as to accuse the Trump administration of becoming “an arm of the Kremlin.” He accused Trump officials of repeating “Kremlin talking points” and distorting the history of the war.
Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers have also voiced frustration. Senator Lisa Murkowski said the incident in the Oval Office made her “sick to [her] stomach” and criticized the way President Zelenskyy was treated.
