The American side deliberately orchestrated the confrontation during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the White House, Friedrich Merz, the head of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the likely chancellor, said on March 3.

“It was not a spontaneous reaction to interventions by Zelensky, but obviously a manufactured escalation in this meeting in the Oval Office,” Merz said at a press conference in Hamburg.

The visit was expected to mark the signing of a long-debated agreement between Ukraine and the U.S. on jointly developing Ukraine’s mineral resources.

MBFC

  • Dimmer@leminal.space
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    16 hours ago

    I think this gives this office too much credits.

    The whole thing seems more spontaneous dysfunction than planned, Vance overplaying his troll role, and Rubio did not show up for job.

    This is obviously aligned with their long term vision regardless, but I don’t think they were planning to hit the gas at that day.

    • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
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      16 hours ago

      Vance clearly walked in with an agenda to blow it up - his comments were tactless and incendiary while Vance has many times shown a willingness to hold his nose or backtrack former statements fir political gains. Vance, from the comments on wearing a suite (has he ever criticized Elon for his shitheel dress code) to saying “You should be thanking us” - there is no more universal thing you can say to an adult to instantly shutdown communication.

      • Dimmer@leminal.space
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        13 hours ago

        Things like requesting for emotional value in a serious conversation is such an unsophisticated tactic in arguments, just hard to believe it’s planned by a long time blogger and book writer who should be good at words.