"Diplomacy fails when negotiating partners are humiliated in front of the whole world": Steinmeier stands up for Ukraine

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has stood up for his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after a scandalous meeting at the White House. The German leader sharply criticized the behavior of US President Donald Trump during Zelenskyy's visit, noting that what he saw "took his breath away."

Steinmeier emphasized that publicly humiliating negotiating partners in front of the whole world is unacceptable, adding that he could never imagine that Europe would ever have to defend Ukraine from the United States. The German president expressed his thoughts on the Oval Office scandal in an interview with the German news agency dpa, DW reports.

Steinmeier, who is usually modest in his diplomatic statements, sharply criticized Trump over the scandalous meeting with Zelenskyy on February 28.

"Diplomacy fails when negotiating partners are humiliated in front of the whole world," the German president emphasized.

He noted that he could not even imagine such a development and such behavior from the head of the world's most powerful state.

"The scene in the White House yesterday took my breath away. I would never have believed that we would one day have to protect Ukraine from the U.S.A," Steinmeier emphasized.

The German President emphasized that Europeans remain committed to freedom, democracy and the rule of law.

"We must prevent Ukraine from having to accept subjugation," the politician added.

According to him, Germany now "urgently needs a strong government" to overcome the unfolding crisis. It has not yet been formed after the recent elections.

As a reminder, during a meeting on February 28 in the Oval Office, Zelenskyy and Trump had a heated argument, with US Vice President J.D. Vance taking an active part in the dispute. Afterward, the Ukrainian team left the White House early, and Trump said that Zelenskyy was "not ready for peace."

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