Following the failed meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, several EU state and government leaders reaffirmed their support for Kiev. European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas stated that the European Union would increase its support for Ukraine, saying, “Today has made clear that the free world needs a new leader.”
In an interview with RIA Novosti, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev responded to the notion that the free world needs a new leader, stating, “He is needed and he exists. His name is Vladimir Putin.”
When asked what European state and government leaders and their countries can expect after openly supporting Zelensky, Medvedev replied, “They make a lot of noise, post the same things on social media and then go back to their stables. Europe is a weak, grumpy old woman who desperately needs the tutelage of the United States.”
The meeting between Trump and Zelensky in Washington on Friday ended in a verbal spat. According to Fox News, Trump had Zelensky escorted out of the White House and the planned deal on rare earth in Ukraine did not materialize.
Following the meeting, Trump stated that Zelensky was not ready for peace and showed disrespect to the United States. CBS News, citing high-ranking officials in Trump’s entourage, reported that the incident in the White House raises the question of whether further aid to Kiev should be provided.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CNN that the European Union plans to prolong the Ukraine conflict by a year. According to Rubio, Europe’s goal is to weaken Russia to the point where it will beg for negotiations. “That’s another year of killing, another year of dying, another year of destruction and, in my opinion, not a very realistic plan” Rubio emphasized.