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stated that Volodymyr Zelensky should apologize to Donald Trump and raised questions about whether the Ukrainian president genuinely desires peace following their disastrous meeting.
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In an attempt to divert attention away from Trump and Vance's aggressive behavior, which has sparked international condemnation from even the US's closest allies, Rubio suggested that Zelensky owes the president an apology and deemed his actions leading up to the Oval Office confrontation unacceptable.
You only witnessed the outcome, you're not aware of all the events that led to this. The president has consistently been open about this, it was a key part of his campaign platform. He believes the war should never have begun, and I share his opinion that if he were president at the time, it would have been avoided.
Now here we are, he's attempting to bring an end to this conflict, we've clearly outlined our plan: we intend to secure a meeting with the Russians, and we want to investigate the possibility of achieving peace.
Senator Rubio's argument was that the events of the past ten days inevitably led to the outcome we see today, and the meeting itself may have been unnecessary.
He's apologizing for turning this into the complete disaster that it has become,
Don't come here and create a scenario where you're going to start lecturing us on how diplomacy isn't going to work. President Zelensky went down that path, and as a result, it led to a predictable outcome.
Rubio then speculated that the Ukrainian president has no desire to bring an end to the ongoing conflict, which has now lasted for nearly three years.
That act of open sabotage is extremely exasperating for all of us who've been involved. He should apologize for squandering our time.'
He claimed that Trump and Vance's policies represent a shift in approach from a war that was not making progress under Joe Biden.
He stated, "Biden was financing a standstill, financing a meat grinder, and the Russians have more meat to grind."
Anchor Kaitlan Collins asked - as Fox News asked earlier - if Trump and Zelensky's relationship can be mended.
It was hypocritical to criticize Trump.
'I believe anything can be achieved, but it ultimately depends on President Trump's involvement in creating a lasting and enduring peace.'
Authoritative sources informed that the dramatic encounter was not a premeditated, coordinated effort aimed at embarrassing Zelensky in an attempt to weaken his tough stance in negotiations or gain an upper hand in a collapsed rare earth minerals agreement.
Russia's 2022 invasion of his country.
'A senior White House official stated that Zelensky should not have taken aim at Pence,' said the official following the intense confrontation. The official stated that Zelensky's comments prompted Trump, 78, to come to Pence's defense, prompting the situation to quickly deteriorate.
The agreement will offer a form of protection by placing U.S. business interests within his country.
The White House was seeking appreciation. However, some of Zelensky's gestures were interpreted as indicating that he couldn't endure the information he was receiving.
"It wasn't premeditated, this was just a spontaneous event," said one source with knowledge of the situation.
Although tensions ran high in the Oval Office, it appears President Trump seemed to take pleasure in the aftermath of the intense confrontation.
"I'm predicting this will be fantastic television, I must say," Trump stated at the end.
President Trump spoke with a U.S.-based Polish journalist who asked about the U.S. stance on Russia. Trump dismissed the question as 'stupid'. However, the reporter's earlier inquiries led Mike Pence to mention that Ukraine had not been grateful for the billions of dollars in U.S. aid it received.
Vance criticized previous Democratic US administrations for not being able to prevent Russia's actions, but Zelensky attempted to steer the conversation back to Putin. 'He kills people,' he said.
'What kind of diplomacy are you talking about,' the Ukrainian asked, referring to Vance by his first name rather than his formal title.
The comment sparked Vance – who lectured Zelensky, only to be rebuked by the visitor for not visiting Ukraine as a senator, despite many others having made the trip.
'The kind of diplomacy that will put an end to the devastation of your country is what I'm referring to, Mr. President [Zelensky]. Mr. President, with all due respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to resolve this matter in front of the American media,' said Vance.
"Have you ever been to Ukraine so you can see the problems we have?" Zelensky asked Vance, who last April voted against a package with $61 billion in aid for Ukraine in the Senate.
"I've actually seen and watched the stories, and I know what happens is you bring people on a propaganda tour, Mr. President," Vance shot back.
Then Trump intervened to defend his vice president. 'You've been put in a very difficult situation, and it just so happens that you're correct about that. You're not in a strong position. You don't have the necessary leverage right now.'
"I'm not playing cards," Zelensky replied, interrupting him.
'Have you ever expressed gratitude once?' Vance blasted Zelensky at one point during the heated exchange.
I just want to hear you say it," Vance replied, to which Zelensky said, "I've already said it a lot of times.
Zelensky's initial words were: 'Thank you so much, Mr. President, thank you for the invitation' – although it seemed Vance was expecting thanks for the substantial military aid.
Zelensky may have a bone to pick with Vance due to some of his past remarks. 'To be frank with you, I don't really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another,' Vance said in 2022, even as both parties were rallying behind the country.
And when Vance spoke at the Munich Security Conference this month, he brought free speech concerns to the forefront, prioritizing them over the Russia threat.
"The threat I worry the most about in the context of Europe is not Russia. It's not China. It's not any other external actor,' Vance said at the time. 'What I worry about is the threat from within - the withdrawal of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America.'
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance.
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I'm not sure we did something bad.
"cross-party support," Zelensky said.
'You have been a huge support from the start, you played a crucial role in our survival. We consider you a key ally.'
When asked again, he declined once more and attempted to clarify his perspective.
"We have to be straightforward and honest with each other. No one wants to give up more than we do, since we're in this struggle for freedom, this fight for our very existence," he said.
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"He'd like President Trump to be more aligned with their position," he said when Baier asked if he felt it was acceptable for Trump to be 'in the middle' of negotiations.
'Trump stated he will cease the conflict and I do hope he will. We must apply pressure to him from Europe.'
Zelensky then attempted to cite former President Ronald Reagan, saying what he wanted in a deal.
'Peace is not only the absence of conflict. We are speaking of a just and lasting peace,' he said.
Zelensky also stated that Trump was being dishonest when the president claimed he wishes to return to the White House and redo things immediately.
'No, first and foremost, we want peace, that's why we're in the US. The agreement on minerals is the initial step towards security guarantees, it's a first step towards peace. We have a challenging situation, to grasp it is to be in Ukraine,' he said.
He stated, "But I respect my soldiers and our people, our civilians who work and support our warriors. I can't just say stop because everyone is afraid that Putin will come back tomorrow."
Zelensky emphasized that he holds Trump in high regard and the American people, but reiterated that he was being truthful.
'I believe this type of conflict is detrimental to both parties. I'm unable to alter our stance on Russia. They are perceived as a threat to us, and this perception is clear. While the US and the EU are considered to be our closest allies, this doesn't mean we're opposed to peace and acknowledge the current reality of the situation.'
He also stated that his country desires peace and diplomacy and expressed a willingness to engage in negotiations, contradicting President Trump's statement that he wants to "fight fight fight."
He emphasized that achieving just and lasting peace requires great strength in the negotiations.
Baier then asked him if his relationship with Trump could be salvaged after this incident.
Yes, of course, because it's a relationship between two heads of state. It's a strong relationship between our nations and that's why I always express my gratitude to your people on behalf of our people.
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