Readers react to shocking Oval Office meeting
Editor’s note: We received a large response in The Open Forum to the televised Oval Office meeting Friday between President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Here are a few of those letters, which overwhelmingly supported Zelenskyy and Ukraine.
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Dear Mr. Zelenskyy,
Please accept our sincere apologies for the crass bullying you received at the White House on Friday, Feb. 28. Trump’s behavior only shows his complete ignorance of world affairs and his ever-increasing descent into Putin’s realm with its lies and misinformation.
The world can never again trust America’s word or its commitment. For this, we are extremely sorry.
Boyd and Barbara Norton, Evergreen
Every war has two sides. In some wars, the issues are so complex it becomes hard to tell the difference between the sides. But, in the case of Ukraine, it seems very clear that Russia is the aggressor and Ukraine is the defender. Russia invaded Ukraine, holds significant Ukrainian territory, has kidnapped hundreds of Ukrainian adults and children, and continues to aggressively bombard and kill Ukrainian citizens.
Ukraine is defending itself as best it can, but if left alone, it will be doomed to failure.
Into this debacle steps our “peacemaker” president who “wants to stop the bloodshed.” He wants a ceasefire and peace, and so he starts talks.
Does he talk to both sides? No! He is pushing (bullying) Ukraine to roll over, cede territory, and give up. What is he doing with Russia? Nothing.
Has he held open talks with Putin? No! Has he received any indication of any concessions from Putin? No! Has he pushed Russia at all? No!
In 1962, President Robert F. Kennedy faced down Soviet Union leader Nikita Khrushchev and made America great. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan faced down Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and made America great. And now, in 2025, President Donald Trump bends his knee to Russian President Vladimir Putin. What does that make America?
Kevin Rudolph, Littleton
The elephant in the room, so to speak, about the Russian/Ukrainian war is why Putin invaded. He wants the mineral wealth of Ukraine. From sage wisdom from a Chinese thousand years ago: don’t corner your enemy. That is Putin’s error.
The irony is that the United States’ investment in mining the minerals does two things: It robs Putin of his subversive intent and keeps the United States available to deter any further Putin incursions. Zelenskyy can’t get his head around it and would rather die on his pride.
Fred Stewart, Grand Junction
I am embarrassed, heartsick, horrified and terrified after viewing the disastrous meeting between our president, vice president and President Zelenskyy. I saw no leadership, diplomacy, listening or compassion coming from our American leaders. They did nothing but shout and act like bullies, a new low in American diplomatic negotiations. None of Trump’s or Vance’s exhibited behavior makes America at all great; all it does is put us and our world more at risk.
Deborah Reshotko, Denver
I don’t know anyone from Russia. I do feel if I did, we’d be able to sit, discuss our differing perspectives, and come to an agreement that didn’t involve yelling, disrespecting each other, or loss of innocent lives.
David L Stevenson, Denver
And the award goes to …
President Trump and Vice President Vance for their politically motivated theatrical performance during the live telecast of their Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
I can hardly wait for the land grab sequels when they “host” Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, and Panama’s President, José Raúl Mulino.
Let’s call this what it is: a set-up, public bullying, picking on the “little guy,” and political theater. Trump and Vance had no intention of doing anything but trying to humiliate Zelenskyy. I believe they embarrassed themselves and many in our country instead.
Jamie Lofaro, Lone Tree
Trump and Vance not only berated Zelenskyy, they threatened him and tried to intimidate him with “We’re holding all the cards” and “You’re going to lose without us, so do what we want” without allowing Zelenskyy to respond with their constant haranguing.
It was astonishing to watch, anticipating a huge backlash on how it was handled by both Democrats and Republicans. Instead, Lindsay Graham said, “I have never been more proud of the president.” Other Republican lawmakers called Zelenskyy “disrespectful” and praised Trump.
Trump clearly expects Zelenskyy to hand over access to Ukraine’s mineral resources with no guarantees. What is wrong with this picture? It’s a case of “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” a story about another vain leader whose followers go along with the pretense that the nude emperor is wearing lavish clothes until one brave participant blurts out the truth, and the people realize they’ve been fooled. The trouble is, the Republicans already know the truth but don’t have the courage to speak out. They need to put the country in front of keeping their positions. Shameful.
Marcia Murphy, Centennial
How shameful that President Zelenskyy arrives at the White House for a staged ambush, gets shouted at by President Trump and VP Vance, and then is accused of lacking diplomacy.
How shameful that Vance assails Zelenskyy for lacking gratitude (not at all true) when Vance has spoken out and voted against continuing aid to Ukraine.
How shameful that Sen. Lindsey Graham has reversed his comment in July 2024 that Vance’s lack of support for Ukraine is “garbage” to now calling for Zelenskyy’s resignation.
How shameful that the world looks at the United States now with a lack of trust and disbelief.
Andrea Clifford, Denver
I had been withholding submitting comments to The Post, in large part to contain our rising anger at the administration. But the ambush of President Zelenskyy in front of the entire world is intolerable. “Our” president refused to call out Putin and instead used his Vice President to start a dress down of a true hero trying tirelessly to save his country from an invading army.
We grew up in the Vietnam era, where the domino effect of Communism supposedly justified us sending our ill-equipped forces into the jungles and into ultimate defeat in a war where we never should have entered.
But now, where the clear goal of Russia is to take as much of the world as possible, our country is standing back and “our” president used the Oval Office debacle as a way to deflect blame on his inability to stop the war in Ukraine.
The America we cherished would never, ever support a dictator like Putin, and turn away from a clear need to support a country in desperate need. Actually, we are turning away from supporting the world and the allies we cherished for decades.
This is not our America anymore.
H. Rene Ramirez, Aurora
What a shameful performance by Trump and Vance. Perhaps it was just my imagination, but I thought I heard vodka being poured and glasses being clicked coming from Moscow.
Other world leaders had very different reactions to what occurred at the meeting as they now wonder: What does America really stand for these days?
Gene Reetz, Denver
President Zelenskyy has done what no GOP-elected politician has done in months: Disagree with Trump in front of the media. Thank you, President Zelenskyy.
Becky Roberts, Watkins
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