Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was one of the international leaders willing to stand up to Donald Trump when he demanded a "favor" in exchange for sending military assistance already allocated by Congress. It seems Trump doesn't forget.
Punchbowl News pointed out that Trump has spent the past week bashing Zelenskyy, and it's causing Republicans to "wince."
Over the weekend, Zelenskyy was in Scranton, PA, for a tour of a plant manufacturing artillery that has aided Ukraine's defense from the Russian invasion. He was joined by Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) and Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) as the top elected officials in the state. But Trump allies attacked the move as "election interference."
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Speaking to The New Yorker, Zelenskyy described Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) as “too radical” and told him to “read up” on World War II.
Trump allies were immediately triggered.
“The idea that a foreign leader is here flying around on a C-17, in Pennsylvania, criticizing President Trump, criticizing JD Vance — it’s like a campaign stop that, again, just feels way over the top,” Trump surrogate Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO), told Punchbowl.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called the comments “the biggest mistake he’d ever make.”
“I don’t mind him going to a munitions plant thanking people for helping Ukraine. But I think his comments about JD Vance and President Trump were out of bounds,” Graham told Punchbowl. “With conservatives, it’s going to hurt Ukraine.”
Conservatives have grown increasingly pro-Russia thanks to Donald Trump's ongoing support of Vladimir Putin.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), on the other hand, didn't much care.
“President Zelenskyy is trying to do everything he can to secure the support for a sustained successful effort against Putin. My guess is, if we were in similar circumstances, we’d do the same thing," said Tillis.
“He’s making a reference to J.D.’s comments about supporting the Ukraine effort," Tillis explained to Punchbowl. "And in that case, I agree. J.D. has a position I don’t share, unfortunately. The majority of Congress doesn’t either."
In a speech to a Georgia audience, Trump admitted he only recently learned about Russia's role in World War II and its battle with former French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.