Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, went viral after her “mortified” reaction to the tense Oval Office meeting between Donald Trump, JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At one point, cameras captured Markarova dropping her head into her hands and rubbing the bridge of her nose as Zelenskyy clashed with Trump over a potential ceasefire in Ukraine.
The meeting, initially intended to finalize a deal granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, quickly unraveled. Trump accused Zelenskyy of trying to argue “in front of the American media,” while Vance scolded him for being “disrespectful.” Reports suggest Zelenskyy may have muttered a curse under his breath when Vance criticized Ukraine’s conscription policies.
The fallout was swift. Trump abruptly canceled a planned luncheon and press conference with Zelenskyy, effectively scrapping the minerals agreement. Senator Lindsey Graham later suggested that Zelenskyy should consider stepping down, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the meeting “antagonistic.”
Despite the backlash, Zelenskyy later told Fox News he was “not sure we did something bad,” and expressed hope that he could mend relations with Trump moving forward.
