Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a sharp retort to US Senator Lindsey Graham's suggestion that he should step down, telling the South Carolina Republican that if he wanted his opinion to matter, he could move to Ukraine and become a citizen.
"I can give him the citizenship of Ukraine," Zelensky said when asked about Graham's remarks. "He will become a citizen of our country, and then his voice will gain weight. And I will hear him as a citizen of Ukraine on the topic of who must be the president."
Graham, a longtime advocate of Ukraine but now a vocal critic of Zelensky, responded, "Unfortunately, until there is an election, no one has a voice in Ukraine."
The Tense Oval Office Meeting
The dramatic exchange followed an explosive meeting between Zelensky, his US counterpart Donald Trump, and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office on Friday. Zelensky had been seeking stronger US support for Ukraine's war effort, but the discussion quickly spiralled into a public confrontation.
As tensions mounted, Trump pressed Zelensky on whether Ukraine was willing to make territorial concessions to Russia. Vance joined in, escalating the confrontation by accusing the Ukrainian president of lacking appreciation for American aid.
Zelensky fired back at Vance, "What kind of diplomacy, JD?" He pointed out Ukraine's multiple failed negotiations with Russia before the full-scale invasion. The exchange only grew more heated, ending in Trump declaring that Zelensky was "gambling with World War III."
When Zelensky pushed back, listing Ukraine's failed diplomatic efforts with Russia, Vance accused him of being "ungrateful" and "disrespecting the US President."
The tension peaked when Zelensky warned that Russian aggression could eventually threaten the US. "You have nice ocean and don't feel now, but you will feel it in the future," he said. That reportedly frustrated Trump, who ended the meeting abruptly and cancelled a planned joint press conference.
In a later interview, Zelensky acknowledged that his Oval Office exchange with Trump and Vance had been heated but defended his approach, calling it "necessary."
Graham Calls For Zelensky To "Resign"
After the meeting, Lindsey Graham did not hold back his criticism. "He either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change," the senator told reporters outside the White House. He called the discussion a "complete and utter disaster" and suggested Zelensky's leadership had become an obstacle to effective US-Ukraine relations.
Hours before the Oval Office clash, Graham reportedly issued a warning to Zelensky.
"Don't take the bait," the senator warned, advising the Ukrainian leader to avoid heated arguments over security agreements. Zelensky, however, did not hold back once the meeting began -- leading to one of the most intense diplomatic standoffs in recent US-Ukraine relations.