PM backs Ukraine as shouting match takes world leaders aback

Anthony Albanese has vowed Australia will continue to support Ukraine against Russia ‘who has acted like a bully’, but refused to comment on the tense scenes at the White House.

Anthony Albanese has vowed Australia will continue to support Ukraine against Russia “who has acted like a bully”, but refused to comment on the tense scenes between the Ukraine President and Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump at the White House.

The raised-voice spat in the Oval Office sent shockwaves across the world, with the undiplomatic shouting match casting doubts over efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

The US president openly berated Zelensky for not being “thankful”, later accusing the Ukrainian leader of “not being ready for peace” and having “disrespected” the United States in the “cherished Oval Office”.

“We stand unequivocally with Ukraine in their struggle, because we regard that as a struggle for the upholding of international law,” said the Prime Minister.

Prime Minsiter Anthony Albanese meets with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2022.

“We will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes, because this is the struggle of a democratic nation versus an authoritarian regime led by Vladimir Putin.

“The people of Ukraine have suffered greatly in defense of their nation and their national sovereignty, and Russia has acted like a bully, a big country seeking to invade and to take over territory from another sovereign nation,” he said.

Mr Albanese was careful to not comment on the spat between Trump and Zelensky, instead focusing on Australia’s military spending and Putin’s “immoral invasion”.

“Australia has committed some $1.5 billion to help Ukraine defend itself, more than $1.3 billion of that is military support,” he said.

“We, of course, want to see peace in Ukraine, and that’s what the Ukrainian people want as well.

“But I tell you how you get peace in Ukraine really quickly, which is Russia stopping it’s illegal and immoral invasion, and Russia stopping the attacks on civilians, on civil infrastructure, engaging in this act of aggression that they have engaged in now for three years.”

World leaders react

Ukrainians reacted with shock and anger after the unprecedented verbal altercation.

Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said he supported Zelensky’s demand for US security guarantees to back any peace deal, warning on X that “ceasefire without guarantees is the way to Russian occupation” of Europe.

Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov praised Zelensky’s “bravery” in “standing up for the honour of our people, who have paid with their blood for freedom.”

Foreign Ministry Andrii Sybiha said Zelensky “has the bravery and strength to stand up for what is right”.

The geopolitical upheaval which appears to have emerged in the increasingly angry and bitter Oval Office contretemps, has put pressure on European leaders to tread the finest of diplomatic lines. European leaders will want to support Ukraine, but without upsetting Mr Trump and his threats of fierce tariffs.

Eighteen European leaders are to meet in London on Sunday to formulate a defensive plan to support Ukraine in any ceasefire deal, but in the coming hours, several phone calls will be flying between various allies to formulate positions and buy some time.

‘EU: ‘Free world needs new leader’

Meanwhile, the EU’s top officials assured Zelensky of Europe’s unwavering support while the bloc’s top diplomat openly questioned America’s continued leadership of the West.

“Be strong, be brave, be fearless,” Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, who heads the European Council representing the bloc’s 27 states, wrote in a joint statement on social media.

“You are never alone, dear President Zelensky,” they wrote. “We will continue working with you for a just and lasting peace.” Costa spoke with the Ukrainian leader on Friday evening “to express the EU’s support,” said an official from the bloc.

Separately, the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas questioned America’s leadership after the extraordinary clash in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelensky for failing to show gratitude for US help in repelling Russia’s invasion.

“Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge,” Kallas wrote on social media following the incident.

“Ukraine is Europe! We stand by Ukraine,” she wrote. “We will step up our support to Ukraine so that they can continue to fight back the aggressor.”

Europe has been scrambling for a strong and unified position since the US president sidelined Kyiv and its backers on the continent by launching talks directly with Russia to end the three-year war.

Both Costa and von der Leyen are to take part along with Zelensky in the meeting on Sunday.

‘Knife in the back’

Ukrainian MP Inna Sovsen has called for calm while claiming the United States had “knifed” the country in the back.

“This isn’t the worst we’ve faced – though, like any knife in the back, it stings the most when unexpected,’’ she tweeted immediately after the brutal verbal exchange in the White House.

Ms Sovsen added: “But we know what we’re fighting for. And we know exactly who the real enemy is.”

Keep calm.

This isn’t the worst we’ve faced—though, like any knife in the back, it stings the most when unexpected.

But we know what we’re fighting for. And we know exactly who the real enemy is.

— Inna Sovsun (@InnaSovsun) February 28, 2025

When cooler heads prevail, Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky may yet still sign a deal, a position Ms Sovsen supports.

“(Trump) was very offensive towards our president, he didn’t deserve these accusations which were made against him and the country. It was unfair,’’ she told Channel 4 news.

“We are very grateful to the Americans, but gratefulness doesn’t extend to accepting an agreement which means nothing to us. this is the reality, we are the victim of an attack and taken down: we don’t see Trump talking in the same way to Russia who are the aggressors here.”

Keep calm.

This isn’t the worst we’ve faced—though, like any knife in the back, it stings the most when unexpected.

But we know what we’re fighting for. And we know exactly who the real enemy is.

— Inna Sovsun (@InnaSovsun) February 28, 2025

She added: “We have to keep heads calm and cool, we are all part of same western civilisation, liberal values and democracy which is everything Putin hates. We have to keep on talking, and the critical element is how the Europeans react.”

French president Emmanuel Macron said: “Russia is the aggressor, and Ukraine is the aggressed people. I think we were all right to help Ukraine and sanction Russia three years ago, and to continue to do so.”

The first European leader to react was Polish president Donald Tusk. He tweeted: “Dear

@ZelenskyyUa dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone”.

In Britain one of the first politicians to respond was not Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was “love bombed” by Mr Trump on Friday after extending King Charles’ invitation for a state visit and who appeared to have negotiated a favourable trade deal based around new technologies and artificial intelligence.

A very different meeting ... Trump with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in the Oval Office on Thursday. Picture: AFP

Instead Robert Jenrick, the Tory MP and shadow Shadow Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice tweeted: “I’m sickened by that degrading spectacle. And to think the bust of Winston Churchill was in the same room as it unfolded. He would be turning in his grave if he saw that happen.”

Mr Jenrick said “Ukraine’s people, led by President Zelensky, have fought bravely to hold off Putin over the last three years with US and European support. Zelensky has shown sincere gratitude for the support offered by his partners. We salute him and the courageous Ukrainians as they fight for freedom against Russian imperialism.”

He then added: “Countries can and do disagree, but the West must show a united front to our enemies.”

A spokesperson for Keir Starmer later said the UK leader had spoken to both President Trump and President Zelensky since the altercation.

“He retains unwavering support for Ukraine, and is doing all he can to find a path forward to a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine,” the spokesperson said.

“The prime minister looks forward to hosting international leaders on Sunday including President Zelensky.”

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky leaves the White House. Picture: Saul Loeb / AFP

Here are some of the other political reactions from around the world.

Russia: ‘Cocaine clown’ Zelensky

Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said President Trump showed “restraint” by not hitting President Zelensky.

“I think Zelensky’s biggest lie of all his lies was his assertion in the White House that the Kyiv regime in 2022 was alone, without support,” she wrote on Telegram.

“How Trump and Vance held back from hitting that scumbag is a miracle of restraint,” she said, adding that Zelensky was “biting the hand that feeds him”.

She accused Zelensky of being “unpleasant with everyone”.

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, who is now deputy head of Russia’s security council, called Zelensky an “insolent pig” who had received “a proper slap down in the Oval Office”.

“For the first time, Trump told the truth to the cocaine clown’s face,” said Medvedev, one of Moscow’s negotiators in the first high-level talks between Russian and US officials since the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine.

Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, called the heated confrontation “historic”. Dmitriev was also one of Moscow’s negotiators in the Russian-American talks held on February 18 in Saudi Arabia – the first since Russia began its Ukraine offensive in 2022.

Australia: ‘Shame’

Greens Senator Barbara Pocock has voiced her disgust at the showdown in a post to X.

“Volodymyr Zelensky & the people of (Ukraine) have fought off a Russian invasion for 3 yrs but these pathetic US man-babies want to rewrite that history and now extort (Ukrainian) resources. Their reward for standing up to a tyrant. Shame.”

Spain: ‘Stands with’ Ukraine

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said his country would stand by war-torn Ukraine after the row.

“Ukraine, Spain stands with you,” Sanchez, a staunch backer of Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion who pledged €1 billion ($1.67 billion) of aid in a visit to Kyiv this week, wrote on X.

Democrats: Trump ‘doing Putin’s work’

Senate Democrats accused Trump and his Vice President JD Vance of siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Trump and Vance are doing Putin’s dirty work,” Democratic Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer posted on social media.

Canada: ‘Fight ‘matters to us all’

Ukraine’s fight against Russia is a defense of democracy that “matters to us all,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said after the fiery row.

“Russia illegally and unjustifiably invaded Ukraine. For three years now, Ukrainians have fought with courage and resilience. Their fight for democracy, freedom, and sovereignty is a fight that matters to us all,” Trudeau posted on X.

“Canada will continue to stand with Ukraine,” Trudeau added, after the extraordinary Trump-Zelensky Oval Office confrontation.

Speaking earlier to reporters in Vancouver, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly defended Ukraine saying Ukrainians were fighting for their freedom and “ours.”

“We believe in supporting Ukraine. We think Ukrainians are fighting for their own freedoms, but they’re also fighting for ours,” adding that “Russians are noting” the Trump-Zelensky spat in the White House.

Germany: ‘Never confuse agressor and victim’

Likely future German chancellor Friedrich Merz assured his support to Zelensky.

“We must never confuse the aggressor and the victim in this terrible war,” Merz, whose party recently came top in Germany’s elections, said on X. Outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz voiced support for Kyiv in a statement.

Hungary: Trump ‘for peace’

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban thanked Trump for standing “bravely for peace”.

“Strong men make peace, weak men make war. Today President @realDonaldTrump stood bravely for peace. Even if it was difficult for many to digest. Thank you, Mr. President!” Orban wrote in a post on X.

Netherlands: Support ‘undiminished’

Dutch support for Ukraine remained “undiminished”, Prime Minister Dick Schoof said Friday on X, adding “We want lasting peace and an end to the war of aggression that Russia has started.”