US Vice President J D Vance’s remarks on diplomacy sparked clash between Trump-Zelenskyy
Washington, D.C.: A meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House took a dramatic turn on Friday after Vice President JD Vance interjected during discussions, leading to a heated exchange and an abrupt end to the talks.
The meeting, which began with handshakes and formal pleasantries, saw tensions rise when Trump suggested that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war could have been avoided if he had been in office earlier. The atmosphere worsened when Trump appeared to shift the blame onto Ukraine for the conflict, despite Russia’s invasion in 2022.
The situation escalated further when Vance responded to a journalist’s question about Trump’s stance on Russia, asserting that diplomacy was key to resolving the war. Zelenskyy strongly rejected this view, recalling Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and broken ceasefire agreements.
"What kind of diplomacy, JD, are you speaking about?" Zelenskyy asked, criticising the notion that negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin could bring peace. Vance, in turn, accused Zelenskyy of being "disrespectful" to Trump and the US administration.
As the argument intensified, Zelenskyy questioned whether Vance had ever been to Ukraine, highlighting the suffering caused by the war. Vance countered by claiming Ukraine was engaging in propaganda and implied that Zelenskyy had not shown enough gratitude for US support.
The confrontation reached a breaking point when Trump intervened, telling Zelenskyy, "You are in no position to dictate how we are going to feel." Vance then questioned whether Zelenskyy had ever thanked the US, leading to a sharp response from the Ukrainian leader: "A lot of times."
The exchange quickly devolved into a shouting match, lasting nearly three minutes before Zelenskyy stormed out of the White House. A planned joint press conference was cancelled, and the meeting ended with no clear resolution.
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PM Modi to flag off Meerut Metro, Namo Bharat train on Feb 22
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday will visit Meerut and flag off the Meerut Metro and Namo Bharat train at Shatabdi Nagar Namo Bharat station in the western Uttar Pradesh town.
From there, the prime minister will undertake a metro ride till Meerut South station and at around 1 pm, he will inaugurate and dedicate to the nation various development projects worth around Rs 12,930 crore in Meerut.
Modi will also address the gathering on the occasion, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office.
The prime minister will dedicate to the nation the entire 82 Km Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat corridor. He will inaugurate the remaining sections of India's first Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), which include the 5 km section between Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar in Delhi and the 21 km section between Meerut South and Modipuram in Uttar Pradesh.
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With a design speed of 180 km per hour, Namo Bharat is India's first regional rapid transit system. It will connect major urban centres such as Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Modinagar and Meerut with Delhi at a faster pace, the statement said.
The Sarai Kale Khan, the originating station of the corridor, is one of the four Namo Bharat stations to be commissioned with this inauguration.
It is strategically located as a major multi-modal hub, seamlessly connecting Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station, Delhi Metro's pink line, Veer Haqeeqat Rai ISBT, and the ring road. The other three Namo Bharat stations, Shatabdi Nagar, Begumpul and Modipuram, being commissioned are in Meerut.
The prime minister will also inaugurate the Meerut Metro services between Meerut South and Modipuram, operating on the same infrastructure as Namo Bharat, in a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country.
The Meerut Metro will be India's fastest metro system with a maximum operational speed of around 120 kmph. The metro will cover the entire stretch in just 30 minutes, with all scheduled stoppages en route.
This seamless integration of Namo Bharat and Meerut Metro on the same infrastructure will ensure high-speed intercity travel and swift intra-city movement, setting a benchmark for integrated urban and regional transit in India. It will decongest road traffic and consequently lead to a significant reduction in vehicular carbon dioxide emissions.
These projects will provide further impetus to the prime minister's vision of transforming urban mobility and ensuring seamless, efficient, modern and sustainable public transport systems that improve ease of living for citizens, the statement said.
