Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson shared his thoughts on President Trump’s heated Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday.
Moderator Kristen Welker asked Johnson what he thought about comments by Sen. Lindsey Graham—a once staunch supporter of Ukraine on the Republican side—in which he said that for Ukraine-Russia peace agreements to occur, Zelensky may need to resign.
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“What I saw in the Oval Office was disrespectful and I don’t know if we can ever do business with Zelensky again,” Graham said on Friday. “He [Zelensky] either needs to resign, and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change.”
Johnson seemed to agree that “something has to change” in order for peace to occur.
“Either he [Zelensky] needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude or someone else needs to lead the country to do that,” Johnson told Welker.
At the same time, Johnson maintained that Republicans do “understand” that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a “dangerous adversary” to the U.S., and that the U.S. is “not abandoning Ukraine.”
He also remained firm on his position that the potential U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal—the discussion of which was the original intent of Trump and Zelensky’s Oval Office meeting on Friday—would be “a win for everyone.”
Johnson continued: “It will give us access to rare earth minerals that we need, and it will provide a level of security for Ukraine.”
U.S. lawmakers have had varying reactions to Trump’s exchange with Zelensky, and the subsequent souring of U.S. and Ukraine relations.
The discussions come after Zelensky’s own comments at a press conference on Feb. 23—prior to his and Trump’s pivotal meeting, but amid rising tensions —that he would be ready to resign if it guaranteed peace for Ukraine and he could do it in exchange for NATO.
Read More: World Leaders React to Zelensky and Trump’s Oval Office Showdown
However, other Republicans are uninterested in mentions of Zelensky resigning. Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford appeared separately on Meet The Press on Sunday, and said if Zelensky were to resign it would “spiral Ukraine into chaos.” He also showed an understanding of Zelensky’s viewpoint, stating he was “rightfully concerned” about Russian negotiations.
“No, we’re not turning our back on Ukraine, nor should we,” Lankford said. “Putin is a murderous KGB thug that murders his political enemies and is a dictator.”
Other U.S. lawmakers to speak out against the mention of Zelensky resigning include Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who—also on Meet the Press—called Johnson’s comments a “horrific suggestion.”
“Zelensky is leading a country, trying to defend democracy against an authoritarian dictator, Putin, who invaded his country,” Sanders said.
Debates about Zelensky’s leadership come as the Ukrainian leader is in London, where he and other European leaders gathered for a summit on Sunday to discuss a path towards peace for Ukraine. In the aftermath of Trump’s meeting with Zelensky, many European leaders rallied behind Zelensky. The summit, led by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, considered short and long-term security plans for the country.
“I hope you know that we are all with you and the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes, everyone around this table,” Starmer said to Zelensky at the summit, which was also attended by Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, during his opening remarks.
Starmer went on to share that he and other European leaders will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting amid Russia’s war in Ukraine, and will then present that to the U.S.