Top Washington officials suggested Sunday that Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky might have to step down if a peace deal is to be reached, underscoring President Donald Trump's stunning shift in approach to the war with Russia.
"We need a leader that can deal with us, eventually deal with the Russians, and end this war," National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told CNN.
"And if it becomes apparent that President Zelensky's either personal motivations or political motivations are divergent from ending the fighting in this country, then I think we have a real issue."
His remarks and those of other key Republicans follow Trump's dramatic turn against Zelensky during a televised Oval Office meeting on Friday.
The unprecedentedly public spat resulted in Zelensky leaving the White House without the anticipated signing of a preliminary pact on sharing Ukrainian mineral rights.
While European leaders have rallied around Ukraine, Republican officials appeared Sunday on news programs questioning whether any deal could be reached with Russia so long as Zelensky remains.
"Either he needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude, or someone else needs to lead the country to do that," said Republican Mike Johnson, speaker of the House of Representatives.
"I mean, it's up to the Ukrainians to figure that out, but... we need President Zelensky to do what is necessary."
Senior Democrats have angrily pushed back since the debacle Friday, saying Trump has come dangerously close to an all-out embrace of Russia.
"The White House has become an arm of the Kremlin," said Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat who has emerged as one of Trump's most outspoken critics.
"It appears America is trying to align itself with dictators," he said on CNN.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted, however, that the White House was clear-eyed about Putin's Russia.
"No one here is claiming Vladimir Putin is going to get the Nobel Peace prize this year," he said on ABC.
Rubio added, however, that the first step in securing peace is to get the parties to talk together.
"You cannot end a war unless both sides come to the table," he said.
"I'm not promising you it's possible," he added. "I'm not telling you it's 90 percent likely.
"I'm saying it's zero percent likely if we don't get them to a negotiating table."
With AFP
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