Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended President Trump’s criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, claiming Zelensky was undermining peace efforts with Russia during a recent Oval Office exchange. Rubio accused Zelensky of being disrespectful by challenging Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who labeled Zelensky’s remarks as “disrespectful.” Rubio dismissed backlash against Trump’s remarks, asserting that they aimed to foster peace and emphasizing U.S. support for Ukraine. Criticism has also emerged from Democratic senators, including Chris Van Hollen and Chris Murphy, who expressed disappointment in Rubio’s shift toward defending Trump’s stance on Ukraine, contrasting it with his previous support for Ukraine.
On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio staunchly defended President Trump’s abrupt stance against Ukraine’s president, accusing President Volodymyr Zelensky of attempting to obstruct the peace talks with Russia by openly challenging Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance during a tense televised discussion from the Oval Office.
“What Zelensky has unfortunately done is find every opportunity to attempt to ‘Ukraine-splain’ on various matters,” Mr. Rubio stated on ABC’s “This Week.” “Then he confronts the vice president.”
Mr. Rubio was present in the Oval Office when Mr. Trump and Mr. Vance publicly criticized Mr. Zelensky on Friday, after the Ukrainian president stressed the need for U.S. security guarantees in any cease-fire deal with Russia, highlighting Russia’s ongoing aggressions against Ukraine since 2014.
Mr. Vance interjected, labeling Mr. Zelensky’s attempts to express the Ukrainian viewpoint to the press as “disrespectful” and reprimanding him for not being adequately appreciative of U.S. support. Mr. Trump, raising his voice, then accused Mr. Zelensky of “gambling with World War III.”
On Sunday, Mr. Rubio employed emotionally charged language to counter critics who have condemned the Trump administration for its public display of antagonism towards Mr. Zelensky, a wartime leader who positions his struggle against Russia’s invasion as crucial for European security and freedom. Mr. Rubio expressed his confusion regarding the “absurd” backlash against the administration, claiming Mr. Trump was being unjustly criticized while attempting to bring peace to the region and mitigate further devastation.
Throughout his remarks, Mr. Rubio openly criticized Mr. Zelensky, stating that the Ukrainian president “couldn’t contain himself” and had obstructed Mr. Trump’s peace efforts.
He noted that both Mr. Zelensky and Mr. Trump’s critics — including some Republican and Democratic lawmakers — needed to understand that the U.S. was “trying to help” Ukraine.
“The quicker people mature and recognize this, the more progress we can make,” Mr. Rubio stated. He suggested that if Mr. Trump were a Democrat, he would be considered for a Nobel Peace Prize for his endeavors.
Mr. Rubio has faced significant backlash from several former Democratic colleagues in the Senate.
Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, expressed to “Fox News Sunday” that he regretted supporting Mr. Rubio’s nomination, which was confirmed unanimously with support from all Democrats. Mr. Van Hollen mentioned that as a senator from Florida, Mr. Rubio had acknowledged Russia’s role as the aggressor in the conflict with Ukraine and would never have labeled Mr. Zelensky as a dictator, as Mr. Trump has.
Mr. Van Hollen mentioned that “as a Senate member, Secretary Rubio stood up for American values and principles,” but now he is simply “echoing the president’s position.”
Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut and a prominent critic of the second Trump administration, stated on CNN that Mr. Rubio had been “a significant disappointment” to many of his Senate colleagues.
Mr. Rubio initially showed strong support for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in 2022. Shortly after the Russian assault, he remarked on MSNBC that he could not understand why the U.S. “can’t start to openly communicate” to Ukrainians that “we will back them as long as they are willing to fight.”
In 2023, he criticized Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for stating in a Fox News questionnaire that the conflict in Ukraine was merely a “territorial dispute” and suggesting that the U.S. should avoid further entanglement. Mr. Rubio asserted back then that Russia’s aim was to overthrow the Ukrainian government and seize control of the entire nation, emphasizing that its aggression could not be resolved through conventional treaties or peace agreements.
Previously, Mr. Rubio had also expressed that if Russia succeeded in expanding its territory in Ukraine by outlasting the resolve and support of Western nations, it would set a dangerous precedent for China, which might use similar military might to invade Taiwan or other claimed territories.
“The message would be quite clear,” Mr. Rubio stated. “If you wish to invade a smaller neighbor and seize their land, then that is permissible, and there will be minimal consequences.”
Maya C. Miller contributed reporting.