Vice President JD Vance is being mocked over ’embarrassing’ comment he made during heated Zelenskyy debate
On Friday, the world was left in disbelief as a high-profile meeting at the Oval Office between Trump and Zelenskyy devolved into a heated and chaotic war of words.
However, seemingly irked by several of Zelenskyy’s comments – Trump told the Ukrainian president: “You right now are not in a very good position. You’ve allowed yourself to be in a very bad position. You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having the cards.
“You’re gambling with lives of millions of people, you’re gambling with World War Three and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to this country.”
Trump then added: “You’re buried there. Your people are dying. You’re running low on soldiers […] You’re not acting at all thankful. And that’s not a nice thing. I’ll be honest, that’s not a nice thing.”
The meeting between Zelenskyy, Trump, and Vance came to an end shortly after tensions rose. Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
However, amid the chaos, one particular comment from Vice President Vance has been mocked by social media users.
Vance Mocked For ‘Embarrassing’ Comment
During the meeting, Vance told reporters that peace had failed to be reached because of the former president Joe Biden, and stated that Trump was allowing for diplomacy to take over. The conversation then because heated as it unfolded…
Zelenskyy: What kind of diplomacy, JD, are you are asking about? What do you mean?
Vance: I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country.
Zelenskyy: Yes, but if you…
Vance: Mr President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media. Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the frontlines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president.
Zelenskyy: Have you ever been to Ukraine to see the problems we have?
Vance: I’ve actually watched and seen the stories, and I know what happens is you bring people on a propaganda tour, Mr President.
And it is that last comment that social media users cannot get over. And the tweets flooded in. Here are some of the most savage responses shared to X:
As referenced in one of the tweets, Vance served for four years in the US Marine Corps, BBC News reports. He was deployed to Iraq for approximately six months in 2005 as a military journalist, but didn’t experience combat.
As he wrote in his 2016 memoir: “I was lucky to escape any real fighting.”
In 2007, he left the Marine Corps to attend Ohio State University, where he studied political science and philosophy.
Zelenskyy Says He’s ‘Ready To Sign’… But Needs More
In a lengthy new statement, Zelenskyy emphasized that while securing long-term peace remains his top priority, the minerals deal represents a critical first step toward ensuring Ukraine’s economic security.
“We are ready to sign the minerals agreement, and it will be the first step toward security guarantees,” Zelenskyy stated.
However, he cautioned that a ceasefire without concrete assurances from the U.S. could leave Ukraine vulnerable.
President Zelenskyy says he’s “ready to sign the mineral deal”. Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images
The deal – offered on Wednesday, per BBC News – is expected to provide funding for Ukraine’s reconstruction, but Zelenskyy insists that without firm security guarantees, economic agreements alone will not be enough.
“It’s crucial for us to have President Trump’s support,” he wrote. “He wants to end the war, but no one wants peace more than we do. We are the ones living this war in Ukraine. It’s a fight for our freedom, for our very survival.”
Zelenskyy also referenced former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, stating: “As President Reagan once said, ‘Peace is not just the absence of war.’ We’re talking about just and lasting peace—freedom, justice, and human rights for everyone.
“A ceasefire won’t work with Putin. He has broken ceasefires 25 times over the last ten years. A real peace is the only solution.”
The Terms of the U.S.-Ukraine Minerals Deal
The finalized minerals agreement, published Friday morning, outlines a framework for the creation of an investment fund dedicated to Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. The fund will be co-managed by Ukraine and the U.S. on “equal terms.”
Key terms include:
- Ukraine will contribute 50% of all future proceeds from state-owned mineral resources, oil, and gas to the fund.
- The U.S. will maintain a long-term financial commitment to Ukraine’s economic development, subject to U.S. law.
- The U.S. will own the maximum amount of the fund allowed under American legal limits.
Though Ukrainian officials have welcomed the new terms, the agreement has gone through several iterations due to previous disputes. Reports indicate that the U.S. initially requested $500 billion in mineral wealth, which Ukraine rejected as an unreasonable demand.
Former Ukrainian minister Tymofiy Mylovanov described the earlier U.S. proposals as “exploitative”, stating:
“The U.S. administration started with a deal that challenged Ukraine’s sovereignty, then pushed an exploitative one that would bankrupt the country. Now, they’ve shifted to a reasonable deal with co-ownership and no direct claims on past aid. That could actually benefit Ukraine.”