Moscow [Russia], March 1 : Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova has said that US President Donald Trump and US Vice President JD Vance displayed a "miracle of restraint" by refraining themselves from hitting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom she called "scumbag," Al Jazeera reported.
Zakharova accused Zelenskyy of speaking lies and said that his biggest lie was his statement in the White House about Kyiv regime being without support in 2022, Al Jazeera reported.
In a statement on Telegram, the Russian foreign ministry official Zakharova wrote, "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."
"How Trump and Vance held back from hitting that scumbag is a miracle of restraint," she said
Zakharova's statement followed Zelenskyy's verbal sparring with US President Donald Trump and Vice President Vance at the White House's Oval Office on Friday (local time). This shouting match between the leaders was witnessed by White House officials, mediapersons and other Ukrainian officials.
Meanwhile, Russian Security Council deputy head Dmitry Medvedev stated that Trump had given Ukraine a "strong slap on the wrist." Medvedev, who is also former Russian President, said, "Trump told the cocaine clown the truth to his face."
He said, "For the first time, Trump told the cocaine clown the truth to his face: The Kyiv regime is playing with the Third World War. And the ungrateful pig received a strong slap on the wrist from the owners of the pigsty. This is useful. But it's not enough - we must stop military aid to the Nazi machine," Al Jazeera reported.
The Oval Office meeting began with warm exchanges and handshakes, with Trump at one point saying of Zelensky: "I think he's a great guy." But matters took an ugly turn after Zelensky attempted to explain Russian President Vladimir Putin's lack of diplomacy to Vance in a heated confrontation in front of live cameras and journalists.
US Vice President accused Zelenskyy of "litigating" in front of the world's press, criticized him for taking part in photo-ops with Democrats during the 2024 campaign, and said his remarks were "disrespectful" to the administration.
Raising his voice, Trump called the Ukrainian president "disrespectful" and told him he should be thanking the US, saying, "You don't have the cards." "You are either going to make a deal or we're out and if we are out, you will fight it out. I don't think it's going to be pretty," he added.
Following the Oval Office meeting, Trump said that the Ukranian President was not willing to pursue an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing conflict with Russia. Zelenskyy left the White House earlier than planned without signing a much-anticipated minerals agreement or attending a scheduled press conference with Trump.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Trump said, "He (Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy) says that he wants to come back right now, but I can't do that...They should have an immediate ceasefire...A ceasefire could take place immediately. If you want to end the war, you sign up for an agreement that's going to take a period of time. It takes time."
He reiterated that he wants the war to end immediately: "I want it to end immediately, and I think if you had a ceasefire, it would be a ceasefire, a real one that would end it," he said. "He [Volodymyr Zelenskyy] doesn't want to do that...I want it to end immediately. I want a ceasefire now," he added.
According to Trump, Zelenskyy's position is influenced by the support he receives from the United States. He said, "Well, all of a sudden, he is a big shot because he has the US on his side. Either we're going to end it or let him fight it out, and if he fights it out, it's not going to be pretty easy as without us, he doesn't win."
Further, Trump has criticized Zelenskyy, stating, "That was not a man (Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy) that wanted to make peace, and I am only interested if he (Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy) wants to end the bloodshed."
"Zelenskyy got to say, I want to make peace. He doesn't have to stand there and say about Putin this, Putin that, and all negative things. He's got to say, I want to make peace. I don't want to fight a war any longer, his people are dying," he added.