In a shocking televised Oval Office meeting, President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy engaged in a heated argument over how to end the war between Ukraine and Russia. The exchange highlighted the strained relationship between the two leaders.
Trump threatened to withdraw U.S. support for Ukraine if no agreement was reached, warning that Ukraine would “fight it out” without American backing. Vice President Mike Pence criticized Zelenskyy for being “disrespectful” during the meeting.
PolitiFact fact-checked three of Trump’s claims about Ukraine and found them misleading. One claim was that Zelenskyy had not expressed gratitude to the U.S. for its support, when in reality, there were multiple instances where Zelenskyy thanked President Trump publicly before his presidency took office. Another claim stated that Zelenskyy campaigned for the opposition in Pennsylvania, but this was incorrect – the meeting was an official event at a munitions plant.
Additionally, Trump incorrectly stated that the U.S. had spent $350 billion on Ukraine when in reality, estimates range from $175 to $185 billion. PolitiFact’s research showed that as of September 2024, the U.S. had actually spent $183 billion to help Ukraine.
Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-trump-and-vances-attacks-on-ukrainian-president-zelenskyy