Moscow: Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Friday commented on the tense exchange between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, suggesting Trump demonstrated remarkable restraint by not resorting to physical confrontation.
In a statement on Telegram, Zakharova criticized Zelensky, accusing him of dishonesty regarding Ukraine's level of support in 2022. "His biggest lie was claiming that Kyiv was left without assistance," she wrote. She went on to express surprise that Trump and Senator J.D. Vance managed to control their tempers, calling it "a miracle of restraint."
Meanwhile, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, also weighed in on the incident. Medvedev referred to Zelensky as an "insolent pig" and suggested that the Ukrainian leader had received a deserved reprimand in the Oval Office.
Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and a key participant in recent Russian-American negotiations in Saudi Arabia, described the confrontation as a "historic moment." The meeting, held on February 18, marked the first formal talks between Russia and the U.S. since Moscow launched its military campaign in Ukraine in 2022.
