A bunch of bipartisan senators met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday morning forward of the tense exchange between the Ukrainian chief, President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.
Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Chris Coons, D-Del., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., in addition to different Democratic and Republican senators, gathered for an hourlong “encouraging” assembly with Zelenskyy forward of his go to to the White Home, the three lawmakers posted on their social media accounts.
“Simply completed an encouraging assembly in Washington with President @ZelenskyyUa and a bipartisan group of Senators to debate our ongoing partnership with Ukraine,” Coons wrote on X, accompanied by a selfie with Zelenskyy, Graham and Klobuchar.
Actually good bipartisan assembly earlier than President Zelensky heads to the White Home. We stand with Ukraine” Amy Klobuchar posted on X, Feb. 28, 2025.
Amy Klobuchar/X
“Actually good bipartisan assembly earlier than President Zelensky heads to the White Home. We stand with Ukraine.🇺🇦” Klobuchar wrote in a post on X.
“So honored to participate within the hour-long dialogue with President Zelensky and Senators Coons, Graham, and different Democratic and Republican Senators this morning. There’s sturdy bipartisan assist within the Senate for Ukraine’s freedom and democracy,” she added.
Graham, in a video, additionally mentioned he met with Zelenskyy, including that he was headed to the White Home for the signing of the minerals deal.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L) talks with President Donald Trump (R) within the Oval Workplace of the White Home in Washington, DC, Feb. 28, 2025.
Jim Lo Scalzo/POOL/EPA through Shutterstock
“It is a half a trillion {dollars} that can enormously profit the American economic system. Ukraine is the richest nation in Europe in relation to crucial minerals,” Graham mentioned. “These minerals are vital for us to compete and win the twenty first century economic system. President Trump was very excited, President Zelenskyy could be very enthusiastic about this financial deal.”
Nevertheless, the deal now seems to be in jeopardy after Zelenskyy, Trump and Vance sparred within the Oval Workplace and subsequently canceled the deal-signing ceremony.
Graham on the White Home later Friday appeared to alter his tune from his morning remarks, saying, “I’ve by no means been extra happy with the president. I used to be very happy with J.D. Vance standing up for our nation.”
“What I noticed within the Oval Workplace was disrespectful, and I do not suppose we are able to do enterprise with Zelenskyy ever once more,” he mentioned.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, speaks to reporters exterior the West Wing of the White Home, Feb. 28, 2025, in Washington.
Evan Vucci/AP
“He made it arduous for the American folks to consider he is an efficient funding,” he added. “He both must resign and ship any individual over that we are able to do enterprise with or he wants to alter.”
Nonetheless, Klobuchar and Coons got here out with posts on X in protection of the Ukrainian president after his trade within the Oval Workplace, significantly the second during which Vance accused Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful” towards his American hosts.
“Reply to Vance: Zelenskyy has thanked our nation time and again each privately and publicly. And our nation thanks HIM and the Ukrainian patriots who’ve stood as much as a dictator, buried their very own & stopped Putin from marching proper into the remainder of Europe. Disgrace on you,” Klobuchar wrote.
“Each time I’ve met with President Zelenskyy, he is thanked the American folks for our sturdy assist. We owe him our thanks for main a nation combating on the entrance traces of democracy — not the general public berating he obtained on the White Home,” Coons wrote.
