Members of Maine's congressional delegation responded with anger, puzzlement and measured concern to Friday's heated exchange between President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine's 1st District described the meeting as "disgraceful and completely embarrassing for the United States." She accused Trump and Vance of an "untenable" pivot toward Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting that the two American leaders "should take a look at their Oath of Office before sitting down with the next foreign leader."
"Lecturing President Zelenskyy about the war in his own country — a war that has killed over 43,000 Ukrainians and wounded over 370,000 so far — shows the administration’s amateur’s approach to diplomacy," Pingree said in a statement. "Especially with Secretary (of State Marco) Rubio sitting in silence on the sideline. President Zelenskyy has bravely led his country in resisting and fighting against Russia’s onslaught since Putin invaded Ukraine. Americans have more in common with those who resist aggression than those who perpetuate it on self-determined peoples."
U.S. Sen. Angus King of Maine, an independent, took issue with Trump and Vance's contention that Zelenskyy had not shown enough gratitude for the massive amounts of weaponry and other support the U.S. has supplied to Ukraine during the three-year-old war.
King said Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian leaders have always shown their "profound and heartfelt thanks" to the U.S. during his meetings with them. King also accused Trump of talking over and refusing to acknowledge Zelenskyy's arguments that Russia cannot be trusted to honor a peace deal.
"Aside from the unpleasant tone toward any partner whose country has been fighting and dying for our values, President Trump’s concluding comments to the effect that we will abandon Ukraine if they don’t accept whatever deal he strikes with Putin (with Ukraine excluded from the process) completely ignores our vital interest in deterring unprovoked aggression, whether in Europe or elsewhere," King said in a statement.
"I hope this unfortunate meeting will not detract from the pursuit of an agreement that ends the bloodshed, recognizes and protects the sovereignty of Ukraine without appeasing the territorial ambitions of a murderous dictator," King said.
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a Republican, had a more measured response to the meeting. Collins has strongly supported providing arms and defensive weapons to Ukraine and earlier this week said she was "appalled" that the United States voted with Russia and North Korea against a United Nations resolution blaming Russia for the war in Ukraine.
“The deterioration of the discussion among President Trump, Vice President Vance, and President Zelenskyy was very unfortunate given how high the stakes are," Collins said in a statement. "I hope that they will reconvene and hold a more productive meeting to advance the cause of a just and lasting peace for the people of Ukraine, who have been so brutally attacked by Vladimir Putin.”
A spokesman for Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine's 2nd District said the congressman was aware of the events in the Oval Office but would not be commenting on Friday, saying it was a challenging situation that "deserves more than a rushed statement for the press."
