‘Maybe It’s Putin Sharing This Information’ – The Moment Zelensky Fact-Checks Trump in White House Clash

During a heated back-and-forth in the Oval Office on Friday between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump meant to focus on a bilateral security deal to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Zelensky fact-checked the US leader in real-time as he repeated several wrong or misleading claims.

After fielding questions from reporters for about half an hour before the pair were to sign the agreement, Trump began to say that Zelensky was stalling on peace negotiations even though his country had been “destroyed” – a comment that seemed to push the Ukrainian president past his limits.

“A lot of cities have been destroyed,” Trump said. “There are a lot of cities that are not recognizable. There’s not a building standing.”

Here, Zelensky reached out to touch Trump on the soldier and interrupt the American leader’s stream of consciousness. 

“President, you have to come and to look. No, no – We have very good cities,” Zelensky said. 

“Yes, a lot of things have been destroyed, but mostly cities are alive, and people work, and children go to school. Sometimes it’s very difficult,” he continued. “Sometimes closer to front line, children have to go to underground schools or online. But we live.”

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The Ukrainian president pointed out that many of Trump’s comments lined up well with propaganda coming out of the Kremlin under the direction of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

“Maybe it’s Putin sharing this information that he destroyed us,” Zelensky shot back at Trump. “He lost 700,000 people, 700,000 soldiers. He lost everything.” 

“Yes. Mr. President, when did you last speak with President Putin, and what did he say?” he asked if the two discussed assurances for peace.

Trump claimed he and Putin had talked about security guarantees. “I’ve known him for a long time,” he said about the Russian leader.” I’ve dealt with him for a long time.”

“I’m in the middle of a mess because this is a real mess. It’s a very dangerous one,” Trump added. “If this doesn’t get solved now, it’s not going to get solved for a long time.”