JD Vance Says He’s ‘Turned Over a New Leaf’ With Ukraine’s Zelensky After Oval Office Clash

Vice President J.D. Vance said in a new interview that the relationship between the United States and Ukraine has improved significantly since his heated confrontation earlier this year with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as reported by The New York Post.

Appearing on the latest episode of Pod Force One with New York Post columnist Miranda Devine, Vance said the dynamic between the two leaders has changed substantially since their public Oval Office dispute in February.

“That was six [eight] months ago,” Vance said. “We have turned over a new leaf.”

“We’re trying to have productive relationships with both the Ukrainians and the Russians, because we want to end this conflict,” he continued. “And I think the president has a very good working relationship — and so do I — with all the parties involved.”

Vance acknowledged that the Feb. 28 exchange with Zelensky was one of the defining moments of his political career. “It’s probably the most famous thing I’ve ever done, or maybe ever will do,” he said.

The confrontation occurred during Zelensky’s visit to the White House for talks about a minerals deal with President Trump. The meeting initially began on good terms but quickly escalated after Vance told reporters that Ukraine and Russia needed to pursue diplomacy to end the war.

In front of cameras, Zelensky questioned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s willingness to engage in diplomacy. The conversation devolved into a tense exchange that played out before international media, with Vance criticizing Zelensky for failing to express gratitude for past U.S. support.

President Trump backed Vance during the meeting, telling Zelensky that Kyiv didn’t “have the cards” and was risking a broader conflict.

Reflecting on the incident, Vance said his frustration at the time came from what he viewed as a lack of respect. “If you go back to that moment, I was getting frustrated because I perceived some rudeness,” Vance said.

“I think the takeaway for me — and for any foreign leader who comes to the Oval Office — is that you try to respect the rules of the house that you’re in.”

Vance said disagreements should be handled in a “productive way” and credited the public airing of differences with helping the administration move forward.

“I actually think airing everything out, doing it in public, articulating where there were disagreements and where there were common interests, actually was pretty productive,” he said.

Since the dispute, President Trump has recalibrated his approach to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In recent weeks, he has alternated between optimism about Ukraine’s ability to regain territory and caution about escalating tensions.

Following an October 16 phone call with Putin, Trump expressed skepticism about Kyiv’s prospects. The next day, during a meeting with Zelensky, the Ukrainian president pressed for U.S. approval to purchase long-range Tomahawk missiles — a request Trump has so far declined.

“If you asked me six months or so ago, I would have said, ‘They’re never going to stop fighting,’” Vance said.

“If you asked me a month ago, I would have said we’re making incredible progress toward peace. It’s hard to venture a prediction, but I do think that we have reached the point of diminishing returns for both sides.”