President Donald Trump's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky devolved into unhinged chaos as the two publicly argued after meeting to discuss a deal to try to end the war after Russia's invasion.
An angry Trump and his sidekick, Vice President J.D. Vance yelled that Zelensky should be more grateful for what the U.S. has done.
It sent shockwaves through political analysts and foreign policy experts, who warned that this is precisely what Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to happen.
"There it is! 'Putin went through a hell of a lot with me. He went through a phony witch hunt,'" said authoritarian expert Ruth Ben-Ghiat, paraphrasing what Trump has said in the past. "He is referring to them weathering their collusion becoming public, and now is the big payback: together until the end."
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Fox co-host of "The Five," Jessica Tarlov said, "Guess Trump and Vance really don’t know who’s an ally and who’s an enemy. Should have that kind of energy for Putin."
Nebraska Republican Rep. Don Bacon pointed out, "Some want to whitewash the truth, but we cannot ignore the truth. Russia is at fault for this war."
New Republic staff writer Greg Sargent pointed to "sane-washing headlines" from news outlets. "No one in particular is to blame for Trump/Vance's appalling effort to humiliate Zelensky with disgraceful lies and undisguised extortion, it just happened, it just devolved."
"Reminder that a big piece of Vance's brand has been fierce opposition to aid for Ukraine," Reuters reporter Patricia Zengerle pointed out on X.
Tymofiy Mylovanov, the president of the Kyiv School of Economics, pointed out that Zelensky came armed with "photos of Ukrainian POWs released from Russian captivity."
"JD Vance is embarrassingly unqualified to sit at the table for any kind of diplomacy," said MSNBC host Katie Phang.
National Review writer Noah Rothman chastised Trump's comments at the close of the meeting saying that it will make for "good television"
"This isn't television. It's a real-life hot war on the European continent with profound stakes for the US-led world order. This is all real. It is not a show," he said on X.
"Donald Trump and JD Vance just gave Vladimir Putin more than he could ever ask for. This will play nonstop on state TV in Russia. I have no words," said former local Tennessee official Chris D. Jackson.