Russia has praised U.S. President Donald Trump for what it described as his “restraint” during a heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed that Trump demonstrated remarkable self-control by not physically attacking Zelenskyy during their reported shouting match.
“I think Zelenskyy’s biggest lie of all his lies was his assertion in the White House that the Kyiv regime in 2022 was alone, without support,” Zakharova wrote on Telegram.
“How Trump and [Vice President JD] Vance held back from hitting that scumbag is a miracle of restraint,” she added.
The incident has drawn sharp reactions from Russian officials, with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now the deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, referring to Zelenskyy as an “insolent pig” who received “a proper slap down in the Oval Office.”
Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, also weighed in, describing the confrontation between Trump and Zelenskyy as “historic.” Dmitriev had recently been involved in the Russian-American peace negotiations held on February 18 in Saudi Arabia—the first direct talks between the two nations since Russia launched its military offensive against Ukraine in 2022.
Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington was aimed at discussing the ongoing war and potential peace efforts between Ukraine and Russia. However, the meeting with Trump quickly escalated into a tense exchange, with Trump reportedly confronting Zelenskyy over his handling of international support and financial aid.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly accused Trump of favoring Russia and aligning with President Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian leader was previously excluded from the peace talks in Saudi Arabia, which Trump reportedly arranged without his involvement.
Despite growing tensions, Zelenskyy remains firm that any resolution to the war must be on Ukraine’s terms and not dictated by Moscow.
The meeting has further strained U.S.-Ukraine relations, raising fresh concerns over Washington’s continued support for Kyiv. Meanwhile, Russian officials have openly celebrated the confrontation, seeing it as a sign of shifting power dynamics on the global stage.
