Ukrainian woman's chilling 5-word response to Zelensky's White House clash
"The world is changing dramatically.”
More than a thousand people - including many Ukrainians - gathered outside Downing Street ahead of a security conference about the war-torn country's future. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined leaders from across Europe and Canada for a security summit less than a mile away - just days after clashing publicly with US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in shocking scenes in the Oval Office at the White House.
Speakers at the gathering, which was in support of Ukraine, thanked the UK for its ongoing support following the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of the country.
And one speaker, Khrystyna Demenko, 32, issued a stark five-word response to the scenes in Washington on Friday: "The world is changing dramatically.”
Demenko admitted protesters are "speechless" to see "our president being bullied in the Oval Office” and said Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer's "warm welcome" to President Zelensky gave her hope.
She said: “We’re still hoping for Europe to step up and actually to realise that, unfortunately, we have to protect ourselves within Europe, and we can’t rely on the US any more, because we obviously see how everything has changed in US politics.
“They want to isolate themselves and it looks like Trump is now being inspired by all dictators in this world.”
The confrontation between the US president and the Ukranian leader saw Vance accuse Zelensky of being "disrespectful" and Trump accuse him of "gambling with World War Three" last Friday (February 28), after he challenged Vance on the question of diplomacy with Vladimir Putin, President of Russia. The dramatic White House row was broadcast to millions around the world.
Trump's America is a key driver behind brokering a peace with Russia, and the heated exchange has disrupted a deal exchanging Ukrainian mineral rights for American military support.
Protestors referenced a deal between the US, UK, Ukraine and Russia made in 1994 that saw nuclear disarmament in exchange for promises of security.
Article continues below
Demenko added: “We already signed something that has no power in 1994 and now we’ve been bent over to try to sign something that has no promises.
“That’s why we (are) afraid to sign the deal, and Zelensky actually represents the people of Ukraine – they’re not his personal views, that’s how we all feel.”