The tense exchange between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proven fortuitous for Moscow, fueling Russian optimism for a potential halt in U.S. support to Kyiv as Russian forces attempt to increase their territorial gains in Ukraine.
The infamous White House meeting on Friday, which erupted in conflict when Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused Zelenskyy of an unwillingness to engage in peace negotiations and criticized him for being ungrateful for U.S. assistance, has sparked uncertainty about the future relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine.
The Kremlin wasted no time framing the White House clash as evidence of Zelenskyy’s hesitance to negotiate an end to the years-long conflict.
“What unfolded in the White House on Friday highlighted the challenges on the path to resolving the Ukrainian conflict,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. “The Kyiv administration and Zelenskyy don’t desire peace; they wish for the conflict to persist.”
Peskov asserted that the White House debacle corroborates Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claims regarding Ukraine’s refusal to enter peace talks. Putin, who dispatched forces into Ukraine on February 24, 2022, has expressed willingness for peace but demands Kyiv abandon its quest to join NATO and withdraw troops from regions Russia annexed illegally in 2022, which it never fully captured.
“President Putin was correct in saying that despite Russia’s openness to negotiation, these efforts encounter Kyiv’s refusal to engage,” Peskov remarked to reporters. “We witnessed this in Washington. In such a scenario, Washington’s efforts and Moscow’s readiness alone are insufficient; a crucial element is lacking.”
Peskov criticized Zelenskyy, asserting that Putin observed the “unprecedented” White House incident and took note of it.
“Zelenskyy has demonstrated a complete lack of diplomatic acumen,” Peskov remarked.
Discussing Zelenskyy’s denial of any territorial loss, Peskov suggested it demonstrated his refusal to recognize the current battlefield circumstances. “You’d have to be blind not to see it,” he stated.
Other Russian officials were even more derisive.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council under Putin, thrilled at what he termed a “fierce reprimand” and a “humiliation” for Zelenskyy, expressing hope for a swift cessation of U.S. military aid to Ukraine.
Pro-Kremlin media and commentators mocked Zelenskyy’s attire and negotiation approach, declaring the meeting a catastrophe for Ukraine.
“Trump treated Zelenskyy and Ukraine like a doormat,” noted hardliner Alexander Dugin. “Zelenskyy was ejected from the White House like a stray,” gloated Igor Korotchenko, a pro-Kremlin military analyst.
Russia’s leading Sunday news show devoted over a third of its time—nearly an hour—to the Trump-Zelenskyy confrontation, with anchor Dmitry Kiselyov ridiculing Zelenskyy for wearing his customary military garb at the White House and calling him a “loser” who “caused a scene” in the Oval Office.
Kiselyov also criticized European Union (EU) leaders for prolonging the conflict, suggesting that tensions between the U.S. and its European allies could weaken NATO and EU’s global influence.
“Currently, everything is being determined within a new major triangle—Russia-China-the United States. It is here where a new world order will form,” Kiselyov speculated, dismissing the weekend EU summit in London as “almost secretive” and fruitless.
Peskov commented on the London summit, emphasizing European reluctance for peace talks.
“There exists a faction of countries committed to war, declared ready to continue supporting Ukraine by reinforcing hostilities,” Peskov stated. “Calls were made to urgently bolster financial support for Ukraine—not for peace, but to maintain military confrontation.”
He added that European leaders face the formidable challenge of repairing U.S.-Ukraine relations.
“Considerable effort in dialogue with Washington will be necessary to neutralize any unpleasant aftereffects following the meeting with Zelenskyy,” he stated.
Medvedev, once a liberal-leaning Russian president and now a prominent Kremlin hawkish figure, dismissed the London summit as an “anti-Trump Russophobic ritual,” declaring “they aim to wage war to the last Ukrainian!”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov condemned Kyiv’s European allies for defying Trump’s peace initiatives and depicted Europe as historically conflict-prone. “Over the past 500 years, global tragedies either originated in or were linked to Europe,” he remarked in televised comments.
Lavrov, who previously cautioned against NATO members’ peacekeeping roles in potential settlements, dismissed French and British proposals for such forces as “impudent.” “This proposal continues efforts to incite the Kyiv regime against us,” he said.
Peskov emphasized that following Trump’s recent call with Putin and U.S.-Russia meetings in Saudi Arabia, Moscow will continue dialogue with Washington to normalize relations, ensuring standard embassy operations after years of diplomatic expulsions.
“Russia simultaneously will press on with the special military operation to meet established objectives,” Peskov asserted, using the Kremlin’s term for the Ukraine war.
Many Moscow analysts predict Europe won’t sufficiently arm Ukraine if U.S. military aid ceases.
“Europe claims unyielding support for Ukraine, but lacks the resources to fill the gap,” noted Fyodor Lukyanov, head of Moscow’s Council for Foreign and Defense Policies.
“A peaceful resolution attempt has been subverted,” Lukyanov observed. “Enabling further and potentially more aggressive force usage.”
