'Don't take the bait': US senator warned Zelenskyy ahead of showdown with Trump
PTC News Desk: Hours before Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's shocking showdown with Donald Trump, Lindsey Graham, a Republican Senator explicitly issued a warning not to engage in argument with US counterpart.
"Don't take the bait," South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham advised, cautioning the Ukrainian leader against engaging in a heated debate with Trump. I said, don't get into arguments about security agreements," he said.
“What I saw in the Oval Office was disrespectful, and I don’t know if we could ever do business with Zelenskyy again. I think most Americans saw a guy that they would not want to go in business with, the way he handled the meeting,” the South Carolina Republican added.
At the start of the meeting, Zelenskyy expressed concerns about Ukraine’s war efforts and the uncertainty of U.S. military aid. His request for stronger U.S. involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict sparked a heated confrontation. Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized him for being ungrateful, leading to an unprecedented public dispute. The clash unfolded in front of journalists and concluded with Zelenskyy abruptly leaving the White House without securing a widely anticipated minerals-sharing agreement.
As a result President Trump also cancelled a scheduled joint press conference with Zelenskyy and ordered him out of the White House. Notably, a long standing mineral deal between the US and Ukraine also remained unsigned.
- With inputs from agencies
