A number of U.S. officials and Republican lawmakers are continuing their criticism of President Volodymyr Zelensky, with some suggesting that Zelensky may have to resign, following the president's heated exchange at the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 28.
During an interview with NBC News on March 2, House Speaker Mike Johnson took aim at Zelensky suggesting he "needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude or someone else needs to lead the country."
"What President Zelensky did in the White House was effectively a signal to us that he’s not ready for (peace talks), and I think that’s a great disappointment," Johnson said.
Johnson's remarks fall in line with Senator Lindsey Graham — formerly a staunch supporter of Ukraine — who said on Feb. 28 that Zelensky "is either going to have to fundamentally change or go."
Zelensky rebuked calls for his resignation from Republican lawmakers following the exchange, saying on Fox News that "only Ukrainians vote for their president."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has defended Trump since the incident, also criticized Zelensky in separate interview with ABC News on March 2, stating that the United States will "be ready to reengage when they’re ready to make peace." Rubio added that he has not spoken to Zelensky or members of the Ukrainian delegation since they were ordered to leave the White House.
Rubio's comments echo those of Trump who told reporters following the spat that the Ukrainian president was "looking for something that I'm not looking for" and again asserted that Zelenskyy wanted to "fight, fight, fight."
Zelensky pushed back on Trump's comments during his interview asserting that Ukraine is "ready for peace but we need to be in a good position."
"We want peace... that's why I visited President Trump," Zelensky added.
White House national security advisor Mike Waltz also criticized Zelensky on March 2, stating that "We need a leader that can deal with us, eventually deal with the Russians and end this war."
When asked if Trump wanted Zelensky to resign, Waltz declined to directly answer the question, responding that "If it becomes apparent that President Zelenskyy’s either personal motivations or political motivations are divergent from ending the fighting in his country, then I think we have a real issue on our hands."
Waltz, in a comment to far-right media outlet Breitbart News on March 1, compared Zelensky to "an ex-girlfriend that wants to argue everything that you said."
As U.S. officials continue to lambast the Ukrainian president over the incident, European allies are gathering in London to reaffirm their support for Zelensky and the embattled country.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in an interview with the BBC on March 2 that the U.K., France, Ukraine, and possibly other countries will develop a ceasefire plan that will be presented to the U.S.
Martin Fornusek
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