US Vice President JD Vance has claimed that he was chased by pro-Ukraine protesters in Ohio's Cincinnati when he was out on a walk with his three-year-old daughter on Saturday, leaving her "anxious and scared" by their shouts. According to the Republican leader, he decided to talk to the protesters - which resulted in a "mostly" respectful conversation.
"Today while walking my 3 year old daughter a group of "Slava Ukraini" protesters followed us around and shouted as my daughter grew increasingly anxious and scared. I decided to speak with the protesters in the hopes that I could trade a few minutes of conversation for them leaving my toddler alone. (Nearly all of them agreed)," JD Vance wrote in a post X.
He added, "It was a mostly respectful conversation, but if you're chasing a 3-year-old as part of a political protest, you're a s*** person."
A similar incident took place last week when Vance was greeted by protesters holding pro-Ukraine signs during his family trip to Vermont for a ski holiday. Hundreds of protesters, who held signs reading "International embarrassment" and "Vermont stands with Ukraine", gathered in Vermont's Waitsfield, opposing the vice president's visit to the Republican ruled state.
Due to the demonstration, the Vance family reportedly had to move to an undisclosed location from their planned ski resort.
Vance has drawn massive criticism from pro-Ukrainian supporters, especially after his fiery confrontation with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on February 28.
During the tense Oval meeting with Vance and US President Donald Trump on one side and the Ukrainian leader on the other, the Vice President questioned the latter's request for additional US funding, challenged his credibility, and issued a stark warning - suggesting that Ukraine could lose American support if it didn't accept the terms on offer. The moment that turned the meeting even tenser was when Vance repeatedly asked Zelensky if he thanked the US for its funding.
"Mr President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media. Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the frontlines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president," the US Vice President said.
He added, "I've actually watched and seen the stories, and I know what happens is you bring people on a propaganda tour, Mr President...Do you disagree that you've had problems with bringing people in your military, and do you think that it's respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?"
To this, Zelensky said that "everybody has problems" during the war, even the US.
Then, a triggered Trump, in a loud and stern voice, told Zelensky, "You don't have the cards right now. You're either going to make a deal, or we're out, and if we're out, you'll fight it out, and I don't think it's going to be pretty."
The exchange, witnessed by many US and international media, led to Zelensky walking out of the White House and leaving the diplomatic relations between Washington and Kyiv severely strained.
