Russia’s Foreign Ministry has described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s recent visit to Washington as a political and diplomatic failure, accusing him of being fixated on continuing the war.
Zelenskiy met with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, February 28, but the meeting reportedly ended in tension, further straining Kyiv’s ties with its most significant military ally.
“The visit … to Washington on February 28 is a complete political and diplomatic failure by the Kyiv regime,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement published on the ministry’s website.
She criticized Zelenskiy’s conduct during the meeting, calling it “outrageously boorish” and accusing him of being an “unabashed cynic” whose primary goal was to retain power.
“For the sake of this, he has destroyed the opposition, built a totalitarian state, and ruthlessly sends millions of citizens to their deaths,” Zakharova alleged.
The Ukrainian leader reportedly sought the meeting as a chance to reinforce US support against Russia, openly challenging Trump over what he sees as the American president’s softer stance toward Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
While Kyiv continues to rely on Washington for military and financial assistance, tensions between the two governments could complicate future aid and diplomatic efforts in the ongoing conflict with Moscow.