Vice President JD Vance told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham that he greeted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with a “little icebreaker” during his visit to the White House this week.
Why It Matters
Vance’s comments will likely stir debate among the president’s critics and supporters, which come amid fluctuating approval ratings as the electorate responds to key policies and developments in his presidency, including his administration’s handling of foreign policy.
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Associated Press
What To Know
Vance said on The Ingraham Angle, “President Zelensky walked into the Oval Office, and I was chatting with him, and the president [Trump] and some of the senior Ukrainian delegation. I said, Mr. President, so as long as you behave, I won’t say anything. And he just chuckled a little bit, and it was a good little icebreaker.”
During a February Oval Office meeting, President Trump and Vance abruptly confronted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, culminating in a public shouting match and the cancellation of a signed minerals deal after Zelensky was called “disrespectful” and escorted out of the White House.
The meeting—which had initially been intended to formalize U.S. support for Ukraine—collapsed entirely, with lunch and a joint press conference scrapped amid the dramatic fallout.
Trump met with Zelensky and other European leaders at the White House on Monday to discuss the status of the United States’ ongoing effort to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, which Putin launched without provocation in 2022. That meeting ended with Trump signaling an openness to some security guarantees for Ukraine, though it’s unclear what that would consist of.
What People Are Saying
California Governor Newsom said in a speech last week: “We need to stand up—not just California. Other blue states need to stand up.”
Christian Martinez, spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement responding to Newsom: “Gavin Newsom’s latest stunt has nothing to do with Californians and everything to do with consolidating radical Democrat power, silencing California voters, and propping up his pathetic 2028 presidential pipe dream. Newsom’s made it clear: he’ll shred California’s Constitution and trample over democracy – running a cynical, self-serving playbook where Californians are an afterthought and power is the only priority.”
What Happens Next
The White House is hammering out the details of a possible Putin-Zelensky meeting, and Leavitt said she will share more information about the time and location when they’re finalized.
Update 8/20/25: This article has been updated with additional information and context.
