Protests erupted across the US on Saturday following a tense confrontation between President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a meeting at the White House on Friday.
The clash on Friday prompted hundreds of demonstrators to gather in cities such as Waitsfield, Vermont; New York City; Los Angeles; and Boston, expressing their support for Ukraine and condemning Trump and Vance’s actions.
The protests were initially planned to coincide with Vance’s visit to Vermont for a ski trip with his family, but tensions from the Oval Office meeting earlier in the week fueled further participation.
According to the Guardian, activists in Vermont, including members of the grassroots group Indivisible, brandished posters stating “Vermont stands with Ukraine” and “International embarrassment,” with many waving Ukrainian flags in sympathy.
“After what he did yesterday, he crossed the line,” protester Cori Giroux told Vermont Public Radio.
The demonstration in Vermont occurred despite Republican Governor Phil Scott’s plea for locals to be courteous of Vance during his visit.
Vance, who acknowledged to have never been to Ukraine, apparently retreated to an undisclosed location to avoid the demonstrators.
The Oval Office meeting in which Trump advised Zelensky to consider a ceasefire with Russia or risk losing US support was heavily criticized.
Trump also accused Zelenskyy of not expressing gratitude for US military aid and warned that Ukraine’s actions could lead to “World War III.”
Zelensky, who has remained in Ukraine despite the ongoing Russian invasion, rejected the suggestion, stating that Ukraine cannot accept a ceasefire without security guarantees.
US lawmakers, including Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, described the meeting as an “ambush” and rallied behind Zelensky.
Protests also occurred in major cities across the United States. Demonstrators gathered in Times Square in New York, with many draped in Ukrainian flags, while a pro-Ukraine gathering was conducted outside a SpaceX facility in Los Angeles.
“Ukraine wants fair peace. Ukraine wants the war to end,” the group Boston Supports Ukraine wrote on Facebook. “Ukraine wants all of this on fair terms with security guarantees.”
Demonstrators in Boston, along with others across the country, expressed their desire for the war to end on terms that ensure Ukraine’s security.
