Trump's Allies Urge Zelensky To Change Its Position Regarding War Or Resign

President Zelensky with President Trump and Vice President Vance in the Oval Room, White House. (Wikimedia Commons/The White House)

JAKARTA - United States President Donald Trump's ally in the Republican Party urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday to change his position in terms of war with Russia or resign, increasing pressure after a meeting at the White House last week.

President Trump and Vice President JD Vance's meeting with President Zelensky in the Oval Room on Friday ended in a 'disaster' after all three got into heated debate before the media, causing the signing of a mineral deal and a joint press conference to be canceled.

During the meeting President Zelensky argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not respect the 2019 ceasefire agreement and described it as a killer and terrorist.

Mike Waltz, President Trump's National Security Adviser said he did not believe President Zelensky was ready to negotiate the end of the war.

Waltz underlined President Trump's goal for permanent peace between Moscow and Kyiv involving a territorial concession in exchange for European-led security guarantees.

When asked if President Trump wanted President Zelensky to resign, Waltz told CNN's "State of the Union" program: "We need a leader who can deal with us, eventually deals with Russia and end this war," as reported by Reuters on March 3.

"If it becomes clear President Zelensky's personal motivation or political motivation is different from ending the fighting in his country, then I think we have a real problem in our hands," Waltz added.

Meanwhile, US Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Trump's main ally and also Ukrainian supporters, questioned whether Uncle Sam's country could still work closely with Kyiv leaders in the White House debate.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson issued a similar message on Sunday.

"Something has to change. He must be aware and return to the negotiating table with gratitude, or other people must lead the country to do so," the Republican House of Representatives told NBC's "Meet the Press" program, referring to Zelensky.

"To be honest, I want to see President Putin defeated. He is an enemy of the United States. However, in this conflict, we must end this war."

Separately, Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who sided with Democrats, dismissed President Zelensky's suggestion to resign.

"I think it's a terrible suggestion. President Zelensky leads a country, trying to defend democracy against an authoritarian dictator, Putin, who invaded his country," Sanders said in "Meet the Press."

Republican senator James Lankford of Oklahoma said on the same program he disagreed with calls for President Zelensky to resign.

Democrats have expressed disgust over the tone of Trump's meeting with the Ukrainian leader.

Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut criticized the White House for being closer to Russia than with fellow democracies.

"It's really embarrassing what's happening right now. The White House has become part of the Kremlin," he said on CNN's "State of the Union" program.

"The whole excuse for the meeting was an attempt to rewrite history to sign a deal with Putin handing over Ukraine to Putin. It was a disaster for US national security."

Waltz called it "completely untrue" the meeting in the Oval Room an ambush, and the Trump Administration placed a responsibility on Ukraine to change their position.

"We will be ready to get involved again when they are ready to make peace," Foreign Minister Marco Rubio said in ABC's "This Week" program.

He said he had not spoken to President Zelensky or Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha since Friday's meeting.

"No one here claims Vladimir Putin will get the Nobel Peace Prize this year," Foreign Minister Rubio said, arguing negotiations with Moscow were needed.

"You're not going to take them to the negotiating table if you abuse them, if you're antagonist," he said.