Vice President J.D. Vance appears to have masterminded a whole blowup between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump: Zelenskyy had been invited to the Oval Office for a press conference related to the signing of a rare earth minerals deal between Ukraine and the United States, through which America could maybe begin to recoup some of its funding of Ukraine's defense. Now, the deal has fallen apart, and relations look mighty fragile. Transcript and clips below, so you can make up your own mind. (Video of full meeting here.)
Vance: "For four years, the United States of America, we had a president who stood up at press conferences and talked tough about Vladimir Putin, and then Putin invaded Ukraine and destroyed a significant chunk of the country. The path to peace and the path to prosperity is, maybe, engaging in diplomacy. We tried the pathway of Joe Biden, of thumping our chest and pretending that the president of the United States' words mattered more than the president of the United States' actions. What makes America a good country is America engaging in diplomacy. That's what President Trump is doing."
Zelenskyy: "Can I ask you?"
