Who is the villain: Zelenskyy, Vance or Trump?

Many Republicans and MAGA supporters in the US are applauding US President Donald Trump for showing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 'his place' in the White House on live TV, while several Americans recall Democratic contender to the presidency Kamala Harris telling Trump in their only presidential debate that if Trump were President, Russian President Vladimir Putin would have him for lunch. Some others believe the meltdown against Zelenskyy was staged to sabotage peace talks and justify the impending White House decision to stop all aid to Ukraine.

There are also others, like commentator and TV personality Fareed Zakaria, who blame Zelenskyy for not being diplomatic enough. On the Real Time with Dan Maher show late on Friday night, Zakaria joked that the Ukrainian President should have done his homework better, and started by saying that ‘Mr President, you are a genius and you have transformed the landscape. I have with him Ukraine’s ‘Order of the Highest Merit’, the highest civilian order created specially for you and say (after pinning a big medal on the President) I am looking forward to working with you and build the tallest Trump Tower in the world…”.

On a more serious note, several observers pointed out that the first half-an-hour of the meeting was cordial and Zelenskyy was seen to be ‘winning’ and having his way. Trump was rambling and repeating the same points.

When a MAGA journalist rudely asked the visiting Ukrainian President why he was not wearing a suit, whether he had a suit, and why he was disrespecting the White House dress code, Trump in fact said he was fine with the visitor’s dress. Once Vance and Rubio saw Zelenskyy getting the better of Trump and possibly succeeding in extracting some commitments, Vance stepped in to sabotage the talks.

Referring to Vance asking Zelenskyy if he had said a word of thanks to the US President, several observers wondered what Zelenskyy would be thanking Trump for. Trump had said Ukraine would have to cede territory to Russia; he had categorically ruled out Ukraine getting into NATO, he had called Zelenskyy a dictator and insisted that there should be an election in Ukraine first before peace talks could start.

The US President had made it clear that he believed it was Ukraine and Zelenskyy who started the war and that he would not lean on Putin for any guarantees. Why would Vance expect the Ukrainian to thank the US President?

It was a dramatic reversal of US foreign policy, committing the Trump administration to President Putin and Russia in no uncertain terms, which is what John Bolton, the former assistant (advisor) on national security affairs to the US President said on X. “Trump and Vance have declared themselves to be on Russia's side in the Russo-Ukraine war. This is a catastrophic mistake for America's national security. And let's be clear:  Trump and Vance now personally own that policy. It is not the view of a majority of Americans of either or no political party.”

Senator Chris Von Hollen from Maryland tweeted, “I met with President Zelenskyy before his meeting with Trump and Vance. As always, he expressed his gratitude for America's support for the people of Ukraine.   He has something Trump will never have or understand: courage and principle. Every American should be outraged.”

Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey put out a long post to deprecate the drama in the White House: “We are Americans. We are the most powerful nation on the planet. What defines us is not our power to dominate the weak. What demonstrates our character is not our capacity to traumatise the afflicted. What speaks our truth is not how we taunt, deride or belittle the embattled, broken or battered. We are: the country of the Marshall Plan, the nation of the Berlin Airlift, the nation whose leader said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall'.

“We are at our best when we are resolute against evil — not when we kowtow to those who perpetrate it. We tell our truth when we defend the weak — not when we do it only if we get protection money. We are America when our leaders call the dictators dictators and those who fight to defend democracy against tyranny what they are: heroes… Donald Trump and JD Vance didn't show strength today — they showed weakness. They belittled a giant and showed just how small they are...”

He concluded by saying, “They have the most vaunted titles in the world: President and Vice President of The United States of America. But the title doesn't make the man. And today both men brought shame to their titles. A weary warrior was before them. A beleaguered man who has lost thousands of his friends and comrades to the unjust and illegal aggression of an authoritarian leader.

"They showed no grace; no magnanimity of spirit; no diplomatic acumen. They were small bullies with big titles and they disrespected the history and legacy of the nation they lead. Today, Donald Trump acted more like Russia's Putin than America's President.”

While Trump and Vance may have succeeded in enthusing many of their supporters, many are clearly revolted, judging by what is circulating on social media. Other US Presidents have treated their ‘enemies’ with more respect, is the consensus, with some asserting that ‘this is a low point and a dark day for the US’.

Most European leaders including the European Union’s (EU) foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas echoed similar sentiment. “Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge…Ukraine is Europe! We stand by Ukraine. We will step up our support to Ukraine so that they can continue to fight back the [aggressor],” she wrote on X.