Figures across the entertainment world are reacting after a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy turned into chaos last night (February 28).
- READ MORE: Ukrainian band Antytila talk to us from the frontline ahead of benefit show: “We try to show people some light”
The two leaders met in Washington D.C. with the intention of securing a minerals and defence deal. However, the summit was cut short after a tense argument erupted between the presidents and US Vice President JD Vance in front of the press, during which Trump said the Ukrainian leader was not “ready for peace” and accused him of “gambling with world war three”.
Now, the entertainment world is weighing in. Jack White was among the first to post earlier this morning (March 1), voicing his support for Zelenskyy.
The former White Stripes frontman took to Instagram to write: “Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a very courageous man who deserves the support of the world. He has taken on the struggle of his people and his country with valor and honor.”
White went on to say: “A long time from now when history has gotten far past all of these other false leaders and evil opportunists, he will be remembered as a hero and a defender of his people’s freedom in the face of immense opposition. May God bless his path forward and his eventual victory against tyranny.”
Cat Power is among those supporting White’s view, writing: “THIS🔥✊🩵✨” in the comments. Rapper G. Love, real name Garrett Dutton, also commented: “That’s right Jack Thankyou”, while country singer Margo Price added: “Class act”.
Ben Stiller also took to Twitter/X shortly after the disastrous summit to share an emoji of the Ukraine flag.
Thousands have been killed since Russia commenced a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and a peace deal has yet to be reached in the three years since. Outlets including NPR have recalled how the recent re-election of Trump has had an impact on the circumstances, with Russia’s bargaining power seemingly rising.
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— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) February 28, 2025
Monday (February 24) marked three years since the war began. In commemoration, U2 shared a message and piano piece in support of Ukraine and President Zelenskyy to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
Meanwhile, Pet Shop Boys attended a Ukraine rally in London later on the same day. The rally saw a performance from Ukrainian pop-rock band Antytila, who were planning a stadium tour in their home country in 2022 before the war started, and went on to serve as soldiers upon the news breaking.
That year they posted a video with footage they’d captured from the frontlines to show the devastation seen across Ukraine, saying: “You should know this, that we have no choice but to defend our country, and we will do this until we get the victory of course.”
They also spoke to NME from the frontline and explained how they hoped their music could come as a message of support for those struggling because of the war. Frontman Taras Topolia said at the time: “We’re not just for entertainment – we like to say something important through our music. We try to show people some light and say that everything will be alright, even if it seems hard right now.”
He continued: “We try to explain to our fans how to resist and live through dark times, as much as we love to write songs for fun and dancing.”
