Oksana Markarova was seen holding her head in her hands as the world leaders came to verbal blows
Ukraine’s ambassador had a very relatable reaction to Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy locking horns in the Oval Office earlier today.
As the world leaders discussed the contentious topic of remedying Russia’s invasion of Ukraine alongside Vice President JD Vance, tempers began to flare.
Telling Zelenskyy he should be ‘thankful’ for the US stepping in to try and smooth things over, Trump then launched into a scathing rant. Take a look at this:
Warning the Ukrainian leader, 47, that he was ‘gambling with World War III’, the US President said: “Your country is in big trouble. You’re not winning this. You have a damn good chance of coming out okay because of us.
“If you didn’t have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks,” Trump said, before he then told the room it would be ‘very hard to do business like this’.
As Vance also chimed in to tell Zelenskyy he was ‘wrong’, Trump then said: “You don’t have the cards right now. You’re buried there, people are dying, you’re running low on soldiers.
“With us, you have the cards…You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people! You’re gambling with World War III! What you’re doing is very disrespectful to this country.”
Needless to say, the meeting didn’t look half as chummy as the one Trump just had with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
This was probably what was running through the mind of Ukraine’s Ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, if her reaction to the spat is anything to go by.
Footage of the politician – who Zelenskyy appointed in February 2021 – uncomfortably covering her face and holding her head in her hands has been circulating on social media.
In the short clip, Markarova also appeared to softly shake her head as Trump and Zelenskyy came to verbal blows in front of the media.
According to the BBC, she also did the same while leaving the White House with Zelenskyy, as the publication reported that Markarova ‘appeared to shake her head as she quietly shuffled past’.
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A scheduled news conference between the quarrelling leaders has been cancelled following the chaos in the Oval Office, according to the White House.
Trump also issued a statement regarding the row in a post shared to his social media platform, Truth Social.
He wrote: “We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure.
Reaction of Ukraine's Ambassador to Washington to Trump and Zelenskyy's debate.
— Urban News (@urbandigitalize) February 28, 2025
“It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations.
“I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
I’ll bet Markarova’s really looking forward to round two, eh?
