In a stunning turn of events that exposes just how much things have changed since President Trump returned to office, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is now calling on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to apologize after Friday’s heated Oval Office confrontation, which we covered extensively here at PJ Media.
Advertisement
As we reported, Zelenskyy was kicked out of the White House after the heated exchange between him, President Trump, and Vice President JD Vance.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a masterclass in diplomacy during an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, during which he laid out exactly where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy went wrong.
Pressed by Collins on what Zelenskyy should apologize for, Rubio didn’t hesitate. “Well, apologize for turning this thing into the fiasco for him that it became,” he said, referring to the Ukrainian president’s missteps. “There was no need for him to go in there and become antagonistic.”
Related: Washington Post Expert Admits Zelenskyy Made Critical Diplomatic Error
Rubio pointed out that Zelenskyy’s approach to diplomacy has been counterproductive, particularly when he attempted to challenge the U.S. vice president during discussions. “Look, this thing went off the rails. You were there. I believe it went off the rails when he said, ‘Let me ask you a question’ to the vice president. What kind of diplomacy are you talking about?” Rubio said.
Rubio emphasized that while the war has taken a devastating toll, with thousands of lives lost and horrific atrocities committed, the ultimate goal should be to end the bloodshed. “We are trying to bring it to an end. The way you bring it to an end is you get Russia to the table to talk. And he understands that,” Rubio explained.
He criticized Zelenskyy’s confrontational approach, arguing that attacking Russian President Vladimir Putin with inflammatory rhetoric and making extreme demands, such as insisting Russia pay for Ukraine’s reconstruction, only hinders the negotiation process. “The president’s a dealmaker. He’s made deals his entire life. You’re not going to get people to the table,” Rubio said, making it clear that Zelenskyy’s tactics were pushing peace further out of reach.
Advertisement
Bingo. After three years of war and billions in American taxpayer dollars, we’re finally asking the question that should have been asked from day one: does Zelenskyy actually want peace, or does he just want an endless American funding stream?
Perhaps most damning was Rubio’s observation that Zelenskyy’s actions suggest he may not even want a peace deal.
For our VIPs: Trump Wants Peace, and Trust Me, He’ll Get It
“So you start to perceive that maybe Zelenskyy doesn’t want a peace deal,” Rubio continued. “He says he does, but maybe he doesn’t. And that active, open undermining of efforts to bring about peace is deeply frustrating for everyone who’s been involved in communications with them leading up to today.”
In the end, Rubio delivered a final rebuke, saying Zelenskyy should “apologize for wasting our time for a meeting that was going to end the way it did.” It was a scathing indictment of the Ukrainian leader’s diplomatic failures—and a sharp reminder that real leadership requires results, not just rhetoric.
.@SecRubio: “There was no need for [Zelenskyy] to go in there and become antagonistic … I think he should apologize for wasting our time for a meeting that was gonna end the way it did!” pic.twitter.com/LX3U7t7ueV
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 1, 2025
Of course, when confronted on Fox News by Bret Baier, Zelenskyy refused to apologize, saying, “No, I respect the president and I respect the American people and if, I don’t know, I think that we have to be very open and very honest and I’m not sure that we did something bad.”
Advertisement
Something tells me he’ll change his mind soon enough.
The truth is painfully obvious. For three years, Zelenskyy has become accustomed to being treated like royalty by the previous administration, receiving billions without any serious accountability or expectations of working toward peace. Now that President Trump is demanding results and accountability, Zelenskyy doesn’t know how to respond except with indignation.
Trump’s tough approach is exactly what we need. No more blank checks, no more endless wars, and no more foreign leaders disrespecting America in our own White House.
