JD Vance and Volodymyr Zelensky meet for the first time after the Oval Office incident.

VP Vance Meets Ukrainian President Zelensky Amid Ongoing Conflict

Vice President JD Vance greeted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their first public interaction since the notable incident at the Oval Office. The two shared a moment of camaraderie on Sunday, exchanging smiles and laughter while attending Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural mass at St. Peter’s Cathedral. Second Lady Ushavance accompanied Vance and also exchanged greetings with Zelensky.

Zelensky took his seat close to Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission, not far from Vance, who was leading the U.S. delegation accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, both of whom share the Catholic faith.

On the same day, Ukraine experienced one of the most significant drone assaults from Russia, with over 273 individuals affected across central Kiev, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk regions, as reported by Ukrainian sources.

This intense attack occurred mere days after the first in-person discussions between Russian and Ukrainian officials since 2022, culminating in a deal to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war.

Discussions in Türkiye had previously failed to secure a broader ceasefire deal that was being sought. When Vance and Zelensky crossed paths that day, the atmosphere became quite hectic. Notably, on February 28, when Zelensky visited the White House, the two were involved in a verbal spar over various issues, as Ukrainian officials attempted to impress the Vice President.

Vance highlighted the necessity of negotiations while questioning Zelensky about the historical violations of agreements by Putin. He also raised concerns about how Ukraine can trust diplomatic efforts with Russia.

The Vice President remarked, “It’s inappropriate for you to come to the Oval Office and attempt to pursue this in front of the American media,” further adding, “We should express gratitude to the president for his hope of resolving the conflict.”

Former President Trump was mentioned in these discussions. During the 2024 campaign, Zelensky had characterized Vance as “too radical” while defending a strategy that would lead to Ukraine relinquishing a significant portion of its territory.

Since then, Ukraine has backed the Trump administration’s efforts toward achieving a ceasefire, striving for a resolution that Russia has consistently rejected, hoping to bring an end to the vicious conflict. Vance openly acknowledged that Moscow’s demands are quite excessive.

“Currently, Russia is putting forth a series of particular demands, and I believe they are asking for too much,” Vance stated during this month’s event organized by the annual Munich Security Conference.