In an interview published this past Sunday with The New Yorker, Zelenskyy assailed Vance for proposing a resolution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

On September 11, Vance appeared for an interview with the Shawn Ryan Show podcast expressed his views on a deal to resolve Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“Ukraine retains its independent sovereignty, Russia gets the guarantee of neutrality from Ukraine—it doesn’t join NATO, it doesn’t join some of these allied institutions.”

In retaliation, Zelenskyy declared during a trip to the United States this week: “The idea that the world should end this war at Ukraine’s expense is unacceptable.”

He blasted Vance, saying that he should study the events of the Second World War, in which a nation was compelled to cede a portion of its territory to one individual.

“What did that man do? Was he appeased or did he deal a devastating blow to the continent of Europe—to many nations, broadly, and to the Jewish nation in particular? Let him do some reading.”

Also Read: Zelenskyy visits Washington as election year divide grows over Ukraine war

Vance hits back at Zelenskyy

During Vance’s campaign rally in Traverse City, Michigan on Wednesday, a reporter asked him to comment on Zelenskyy’s statement.

The Ohio Senator clarified that the deal he presented on the podcast was “one possible scenario” rather than “a plan.”

He, however, added that he doesn’t appreciate Zelenskyy’s visit to the US and his instruction to the “American taxpayer what they oughta do.” Vance went on to suggest to the Ukrainian President that he should be grateful to the American taxpayers, in reference to US’ financial and military aid to his nation.

The Republican vice presidential candidate claimed in his speech in Traverse City that Trump will put a stop to the conflict in Ukraine “by not being weak and not being dumb, which is unfortunately not something you can say for the current administration.”

He mentioned that Russia did not attack Ukraine under Trump’s tenure. However, Russia continues to invade their neighbors under the administrations of Democratic government because “they don’t respect American leadership and because our leaders aren’t smart.”

Trump, who served as the US President from 2017 to 2021, has stated repeatedly that if he had been elected in 2020, he would have resolved the conflict in Ukraine “in 24 hours.”

He has also reiterated that he would speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin to quickly end the conflict in Ukraine if he gets re-elected to the White House.