Due to heated rhetoric between US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian Pro-Ukraine Protests in the US, pro-Ukraine protests have sprung up across several cities in the US. From New York to Los Angeles, a large number of people have turned out to demonstrate their support for Ukraine amid continuing tensions with Russia.
The protests were stoked further by Trump’s comments in a heated meeting in the Oval Office on Friday when he pushed Zelensky to “make a deal with Russia or we are out.” This incendiary statement, along with Vance’s criticism of Zelensky, has riled many Americans who see the comments as trivializing Ukraine’s continuing fight against Russian aggressiveness.
Waitsfield, Vt. Near where Vice President Vance was vacationing with his family, protesters marched along the streets with banners and slogans expressing solidarity with Ukraine. Although a protest had been scheduled earlier in the week, Trump’s remarks in the Oval Office inspired even more people to get involved.
Other demonstrations were held around the country outside Tesla stores, protesting Elon Musk’s role in the administration. Assigning responsibility for the Ukraine-Russia war has become an increasingly deep rift in public opinion over the Trump administration’s global strategy alongside the performance and effectiveness of the Trump administration.
Nationwide Increase in Pro-Ukraine Protests
Hundreds of Americans have also poured into the streets in cities including New York, Boston, and Los Angeles in support of Ukraine since the dramatic Oval Office meeting. Demonstrators held signs reading “We Stand With Ukraine” and “America Stands With Ukraine.” In Waitsfield, Vermont, protesters lined the roads outside a ski resort where Vice President JD Vance and his family spent the holiday.
This protest in Vermont was organized by the local group Indivisible Mad River Valley and scheduled before the current Trump-Zelensky confrontation. However, the group’s leader, Judy Daly, said that Friday’s Oval Office clash had fired up more people to get involved. “I would guess that [Friday’s] performance at the White House has probably galvanized even more people to come out today,” she said in an interview with Vermont Public Radio.
Another protester, Cori Giroux, summed up this sentiment, saying, “Vance crossed the line.” The vice president has three small children and has not publicly addressed the protests. After the demonstrations wrecked their planned ski trip, the family reportedly retreated to an undisclosed location.
Respect urged by Vermont governor
Governor Phil Scott of Vermont, a Republican who has distanced himself from Trump, called Vermonters to be respectful even with political differences. “I welcome the vice president and his family to Vermont and hope they enjoy their weekend here,” he said.
“We can disagree without being disagreeable,” the governor continued. “Join me in welcoming them to Vermont and hoping they get the chance to experience what makes our state, and Vermonters, so special.”
Tensions remained high despite the governor’s plea. Pro-Ukraine Protests in the US also joined in in Waitsfield, creating a heady climate.
The Oval Office Showdown
The protests were sparked mainly by what transpired in the Oval Office on Friday. In a special meeting, Trump confronted Zelensky, accusing the Ukrainian president of lacking gratitude for US support. Trump warned Zelensky more than once, “You’re gambling with World War Three,” and he pleaded for him to cut a deal with Russia.
Vice President Vance also accused Zelensky of being rude, arguing he was “litigating” the matter through the news media. The comments were immediately met with scorn by pro-Ukraine advocates who view American backing for Ukraine as a central piece of the world’s battle against Russian aggression.
The Oval Office confrontation has drawn widespread condemnation from domestic and foreign audiences. For many, it underscored the Trump administration’s increasingly polarizing stance toward the Ukraine-Russia conflict. The fallout from the meeting has seemed to grow pro-Ukraine protests in the US, as opinion polls find many Americans questioning the administration’s sincerity in supporting Ukraine.
Protests Outside Tesla Stores
The Pro-Ukraine protests in the US are part of the ongoing pro-Ukraine protests, with demonstrators also turning out nationwide in front of Tesla stores. These protests were directed at Tesla’s overseer, Elon Musk, whom Trump has put in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency, or Doge.
Musk’s drive to cut government spending has raised alarm bells for pro-Ukraine advocates concerned that reduced spending would also affect US support for Ukraine. Protesters criticized Musk’s role in the administration, accusing him of prioritizing budget cuts above humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine.
Items about international support for Ukraine
As tensions escalated in the US, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was getting ready to meet with European leaders in London for a war summit. The summit, hosted by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, will focus on ways to assist Ukraine in its continuing battle with Russia.
Before the meeting, the UK’s chancellor, Rachel Reeves, signed a loan agreement for £2.26 billion ($2.84 billion) with the Ukrainian government. The money will help bolster military assistance and aid the reconstruction of war-stricken regions.
That international display of support sharply contrasts the confrontational stance of the Trump administration. Frustration among many Americans at the pro-Ukraine protests in the US at the administration for its failure to align over such an essential point with the Europeans.
A Divided Nation
Pro-Ukraine Protests in the US highlight the nation’s deepening divide over foreign policy and the role the US will play in world conflicts. Although some Americans agree with Trump’s calls for less engagement in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, many others see such moves as a betrayal of democratic principles and a failure to support a struggling ally.
The demonstrations also express broader frustration with the Trump administration’s response to domestic and international challenges. The week’s events, from an Oval Office confrontation to Elon Musk’s divisive role in government, have ignited broad debate and jolted activists nationwide.
As Ukraine’s situation evolves, so might the debate here. In the meantime, though, the pro-Ukraine demonstrations in the American heartland are a stark reminder of the people’s demand for delicacy regarding having Ukrainian bases covered against Russian aggression.
Final Word
The increase in pro-Ukraine protests in the US demonstrates the rising conflict between Trump’s administration’s policies and the common desire of the American public. From Vermont to Los Angeles, Americans are rising up to express support for Ukraine and call for the United States to take a stronger stand in helping it resist Russian aggression.
As the Oval Office confrontation between Trump, Vance, and Zelensky has generated public outrage, it has also united a movement that cuts across partisan lines. As protests grow louder, let this be the message: Many Americans want their government to stand firmly with Ukraine as it struggles against tyranny and greed for freedom and sovereignty. The following weeks and months will be critical in seeing how the Trump administration reacts to this rising tide of rebellion.
