The Daily Populous Monday April 14th, 2025 evening edition
Authored by huffpost.com and submitted by Aggravating_Money992

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Vice President JD Vance of “somehow justifying” Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine as he urged President Donald Trump to visit his country before engaging in any further talks about ending the conflict.

In an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” broadcast Sunday, Zelenskyy said Russian narratives about the war appear to have taken hold in Washington as he singled out Vance’s approach during his historical Oval Office clash with Trump.

“First and foremost, we did not launch an attack [to start the war],” Zelenskyy said, according to a translation by CBS, appearing to refer to Trump’s false claims that Ukraine was responsible for the war breaking out.

“It seems to me that the vice president is somehow justifying Putin’s actions. I tried to explain, ‘You can’t look for something in the middle. There is an aggressor and there is a victim. The Russians are the aggressor, and we are the victim,’” he added.

In response, Vance’s press secretary Taylor Van Kirk said Zelenskyy’s comments “are counterproductive to the goal of achieving peace for his country.”

“Instead of mischaracterizing Vice President Vance’s rhetoric, President Zelenskyy should be focused on bringing this conflict to a peaceful conclusion,” the statement adds.

During the infamous White House meeting, Zelenskyy urged Vance to visit his country to survey the damage inflicted by Russia across Ukraine.

“I’ve actually watched and seen the stories, and I know what happens is you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour, Mr. President,” Vance shot back at the time.

Zelenskyy, the Trump administration’s criticism of him, including the president calling him a “dictator,” reflects “the enormous influence of Russia’s information policy on America, on U.S. politics, and U.S. politicians,” according to the translation provided by CBS. Elections have been suspended in Ukraine due to the war.

The wartime leader has extended an invitation to Trump to visit Ukraine before engaging in further negotiations to broker peace between the two countries.

“Please, before any kind of decisions, any kind of forms of negotiations, come to see people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children destroyed or dead,” he told CBS’ Scott Pelley. “Come, look, and then let’s — let’s move with a plan how to finish the war.”

Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin on Friday in Russia as Trump called on Moscow to “get moving.”

“Too many people [are] DYING, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war,” he wrote on Truth Social.

Witkoff’s meeting with Putin lasted for over four hours, according to the Kremlin.

Zelenskyy, who conceded he hates Putin, told Pelley the Russian president can’t be trusted, as he laid out what was at stake in this critical juncture in the war.

“Putin’s ultimate goal is to revive the Russian Empire and reclaim territories currently under NATO protection,” Zelenskyy said, according to CBS’ translation. “And the United States being part of NATO means it will be involved in any potential conflict. Considering all of this, I believe it could escalate into a world war.”

Trump lashed out at CBS on Sunday evening following the broadcast of the “60 Minutes” episode. He, once again, said the Ukraine war would have never started if he were in charge, before calling for the network to lose its license.

“They are not a ‘News Show,’” the president wrote, “but a dishonest Political Operative simply disguised as ‘News,’ and must be responsible for what they have done, and are doing.”

Accurate-Guava-3337 on April 14th, 2025 at 13:15 UTC »

This one can’t stfu, either. “Have you said thank you? I’ve seen pictures of the war and your propaganda!”

He called the Chinese “peasants”, lectured Europe and insulted them on a classified Signal chat, and forced himself on a Greenland visit. Vance is trash.

artlastfirst on April 14th, 2025 at 13:14 UTC »

how many years is it going to take for people to realize who trump is aligned with

savesthedashboard on April 14th, 2025 at 13:06 UTC »

Russia is paying Vance/Trump. It is that simple.