‘Absolute Idiocy’ — Zelensky Blasted by Ukrainian Lawmaker for ‘Arguing’ With President Trump in Front of the World

A prominent Ukrainian lawmaker declared it was “absolute idiocy” for President Volodymyr Zelensky to openly argue with U.S. President Donald Trump in front of the world during their Oval Office meeting on Friday.

Oleksiy Goncharenko, a member of the Verkhovna Rada parliament in Kyiv, lamented that Ukraine’s relationship with President Trump came to an “end” on Friday after a heated White House meeting in which President Zelensky was accused of being “disrespectful” to the U.S. leader and the American people.

Goncharenko wrote on Facebook that it was “absolute idiocy to start ARGUING with the President of the United States in front of the cameras,” adding that “it can be done and probably should be done, but not in front of cameras.”

The Ukrainian MP, who sits with the European Solidarity bloc of former Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko in the parliament, went on to warn that Zelensky’s behaviour on Friday could have “very bad consequences” for Ukraine.

Goncharenko said that such consequences could include a potential shut down of Elon Musk’s Starlink internet access to the Ukrainian armed forces to even an end of Washington sharing intelligence with Kyiv, both of which have been critical for Ukraine in its war with Russia.

The Ukrainian lawmaker added, “Zelensky has put millions of people at risk, and it’s madness.”

Goncharenko also appeared to agree with President Trump’s conclusion that Zelensky was not prepared for peace, writing: “This time, it’s not only Putin’s choice. He wants a war it’s totally obvious. But on February 28, this choice – the choice of war – was also made by the Ukrainian leader. Zelensky. It’s his common choice with Putin.”

The fallout from Zelensky’s disastrous meeting with President Trump on Friday has not been contained to the political sphere, with critiques also reportedly coming from the Ukrainian military. Time magazine has cited an unnamed colonel in the Ukrainian armed forces in Kyiv who, upon seeing the news of the meeting, said: “Well done… He pushed back, you have to respect that… But now we’re f—ed.”

While European leaders were quick to rush to the Ukrainian leader’s defence after the Oval Office meeting, growing calls have emerged for Zelensky to repair his relationship with President Trump.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Saturday: “It is important that President Zelensky finds a way to restore his relationship with the American President and with the senior American leadership team.”

Polish Defence Secretary Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz shared a similar sentiment, arguing that it will be impossible to end the war without U.S. support and thus called for Zelensky to resume talks with the White House.

“I believe that there must be fewer emotions, fewer emotional evaluations and more rational attitudes,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said, adding, “What is needed now is the return to US-Ukrainian talks.”

Zelensky’s position at the helm of the Ukrainian government, which was artificially extended after he cancelled elections last year under martial law, was called into question on Friday by key Republican Senator Lindsay Graham, who has long been one of Zelensky’s chief defenders in Washington.

“What I saw in the Oval Office was disrespectful… I don’t know if we can ever do business with Zelenskyy again…He either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change,” the South Carolina senator said.

For his part, President Zelensky has refused to apologise to President Trump, saying in a Friday evening Fox News interview “I think we have to be very open and very honest, and I’m not sure that we did something bad.”

After the meeting broke down and President Trump ejected Zelensky from the White House, the Ukrainian leader left Washington early—without signing the minerals agreement for which the U.S. visit was intended—to attend a summit of European leaders in London.

Follow Kurt Zindulka on X: Follow @KurtZindulka or e-mail to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.