Did JD Vance Just Hand Putin His Biggest Win? Trump-Zelenskyy Clash Sparks Alliance Fears

Vice President JD Vance, center right, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center left, as President Donald Trump, center, listens in the Oval Office at the White House

Has Donald Trump’s unsettling meeting with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy handed over Russia’s Vladimir Putin his biggest win in recent times? Was the US planning to opt out of the Russia -Ukraine war at any cost or was this showdown just an outcome of a heated exchange? Well, the Oval Office meeting has a lot to be dissected and we will see experts deep dive into it in the coming days, but let’s focus on America’s Vice President JD Vance who was supposed to be “inconsequential” but somehow managed to pick the fight he always wanted.

Before Trump took on Zelenskyy, it was Vance who first stirred things up by accusing the Ukrainian president of organising “propaganda tours” to showcase the damage caused by Russia’s invasion.

“I think it’s disrespectful to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance said. “You bring people on a propaganda tour, Mr President … Do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?”

“During the war, everyone has problems,” Zelenskyy replied. “But you have nice ocean and don’t feel now. But you will feel it in the future.”

At this moment, Trump jumped in and things quickly took a nasty turn and all hope for a cordial meeting and exchanges vanished with the US President interjecting Zelenskyy angrily in front of the media.

“You don’t know that,” Trump interjected angrily. “You don’t know that. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.”

Trump, known for his maverick remarks, later called the episode a “great television”.

This was Vance’s second big move this month. In Munich, he made his anti-Europe views clear by accusing European leaders of silencing free speech. He told them, “If you’re afraid of your own voters, America can’t help you.”

Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, responded by saying, “They seem to want to fight with us, but we don’t want to fight with our friends.”

But on Friday, Vance finally got the conflict he was looking for. Many experts view that as vice president, Vance is quietly building a foreign policy team that doubts Ukraine’s importance as a future ally.

Meanwhile, European leaders have rallied behind Zelenskyy, arguing that Trump’s team showed in the Oval Office that the US is now siding with Putin in the war.

“Now is the moment to stay calm, but not carry on,” wrote Camille Grand, a distinguished policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations and former assistant secretary general for defense investment at Nato.

“The US ally has now officially decided to take a stance inconsistent with our traditionally shared interests and values. This might be temporary or lasting but this will have profound and enduring consequences.”

By Friday February 28,2025 afternoon, the Trump administration told reporters it was so offended by Zelenskyy’s behaviour that it might cut all military aid to Ukraine, including ammunition, vehicles, and missiles that were ready for shipment. An official told The Washington Post that the clash with Zelenskyy was not planned.

However, statements from Trump’s allies all sounded strangely similar. Lindsey Graham, who had taken a photo with Zelenskyy just hours earlier, tweeted: “America was disrespected and the deal is off. I have never been more proud of President @realDonaldTrump and Vice President @JDVance for standing up for America First.”

Marco Rubio, now Secretary of State and previously a strong supporter of Ukraine, also tweeted: “Thank you @POTUS for standing up for America in a way that no President has ever had the courage to do before. Thank you for putting America First. America is with you!”

Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy to Ukraine, wrote: “Was honored to be with @POTUS, @VP, and [Rubio] in the Oval today during the bi-lateral with President Zelensky. As the President has ALWAYS done-he stood for America….America First.”

European leaders expressed their support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following a tense exchange with US President Trump and Vice President Vance at the White House. The meeting has raised concerns among America’s allies about the reliability of the United States as a strategic partner.

Meeting Sparks Doubts About US As An Ally

Rachel Rizzo, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center, told DW that the confrontation would make European leaders rethink their alliance with the U.S.

“I do think that American allies and partners, especially after high-level visits from Trump’s administration to Europe over the last couple of weeks, they’re really calling into question what kind of partner the United States is,” Rizzo said.

She warned that the fallout from the meeting could drive long-time US allies to seek new partnerships elsewhere.

“This will create a scenario where long-standing allies and partners are now going to look at countries outside of the United States and I think that weakens the US on the global stage,” she added.

Vice President Vance’s aggressive stance during the meeting may have further alienated European allies, reinforcing concerns that the US is shifting away from its traditional leadership role in global security. However, it’s hard to say who deserves more criticism — those who actively pushed for this outcome or those who simply went along with it.