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.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka Muslim Convention to be held as scheduled on May 16, say organisers
Bengaluru: Organisers of the ‘Karnataka Muslim Convention’ have clarified that the programme will be held as scheduled on Saturday, May 16, at 10.30 am at Town Hall in Bengaluru, and urged the public not to pay attention to rumours regarding any change in the event.
In a joint statement, convention coordinators Suhail Ahmed Maroor, Tanveer Ahmed and Yahya Damudi said there is no change whatsoever in the programme and that all preparations are in the final stage.
The convention is being organised by the Karnataka Rajya Muslim Sanghatanegala Okkoota.
According to the organisers, more than 45 Muslim organisations, associations and jamaats from different parts of Karnataka have extended support to the event and have assured active participation.
The organisers said the state government has withdrawn the restriction on hijab, but noted that nine other major demands of the Muslim community are still pending.
They said the convention is being held to urge the government to fulfil these constitutional demands without further delay.
