Gabbard: Zelensky’s 'immediate escalation' during White House meeting created 'huge rift' in relationship
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s “immediate escalation” during his White House meeting with President Trump created a “huge rift” in the relationship between the two countries.
Gabbard joined “Fox News Sunday,” where she weighed in on the fiery meeting between the two leaders as they work to negotiate an end to the war with Russia.
“I can tell you, there were a lot of conversations that were happening through different emissaries both for Zelensky and for President Trump, leading up to his visit there to the Oval Office, and President Zelensky’s immediate escalation there was … frankly quite a surprise,” Gabbard said. “This has created a huge rift in the relationship.”
Gabbard slammed Zelensky for how he handled the situation with Trump. She argued that Zelensky would only accept a deal that led to “what he views as Ukraine’s victory,” no matter if it led to a third world war.
“President Trump is committed to peace and to freedom,” she said. “We’re seeing this big divergence here between his position and his commitment to these values and the interests of the American people and the interests of President Zelensky and these European leaders.”
Relations between Trump and Zelensky have worsened in recent weeks, as Trump has gotten closer to Russian President Vladimir Putin and called Zelensky a dictator.
“President Trump recognizes the urgent need to end this war after three long, bloody years and has proven that he is the only person that can do this,” Gabbard said. “President Zelensky has different aims in mind.”
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