Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly expressed outrage and embarrassment over Friday’s meeting at the White House.
The meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy became heated as Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance called Zelenskyy “ungrateful.”
“We don’t do this in public. This did not get us anything and I think it’s important for the American people to understand because of what happened today, we are all less safe," Kelly said.
A White House spokesperson says Trump asked Zelenskyy to leave the White House shortly after the exchange.
In an interview with MSNBC, Kelly said Trump and Vance’s behavior reflected bullying.
“We don’t get anywhere by acting like bullies,” said Kelly.
The negotiation, which was televised, should have been private, says Kelly. He says in a morning meeting prior, they had a productive meeting with no cameras.
Kelly says the president and vice president need to figure out how to pick up pieces and negotiate. As of now, he says the exchange is a gift to Russia and made the United States appear weak.
“If you watch Russian TV tonight or tomorrow morning you will see that they're going to cover this, they’re going to be happy about this,” said Kelly. He adds, “Putin and his cronies are probably popping champagne bottles right now.”
Zelenskyy came to Washington expecting to sign a deal granting Ukraine access to rare earth and critical minerals. However, Zelenskyy left early, leaving the future of the negotiations uncertain.
