An international relations specialist from the University of Otago says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has become even more of a hero in his home country after the massive row.
Mr Zelenskyy’s fractious meeting at the White House with Donald Trump and vice-president JD Vance on Saturday ended with an extraordinary exchange over the Russian invasion.
Ukrainian Olha Viazenko, who now lives in Dunedin, said she was appalled by the Americans’ comments but was adamant Ukraine would continue to fight — and win.
"For [Mr Trump], I saw that it was totally normal to blame everything on Ukraine, and especially our President Zelenskyy."
It was apparent European countries, including Ukraine, would have to defend themselves and could no longer rely on United States to back defence efforts, she said.
"It’s clear that Trump chose the Russian side. He respects the power of [the] strong.
"If Russia stops the war, then it will be no war ... if Ukraine stops fighting, then it will be no Ukraine."
The acrimonious exchange between the three men, televised live, has been widely met with disbelief and horror by many European and other Western leaders, including New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who offered the Ukrainian president their public support.
Most Republicans backed Trump after the showdown, while senior Russian politicians reacted with glee to what they saw as Mr Zelenskyy’s White House humiliation, saying he got what he deserved and US military aid to Kyiv must be cut.
Fact-checking of the interview found Mr Trump used incorrect figures and made false claims.
University of Otago professor of international relations Robert Patman said he had not seen the likes of it — Mr Trump’s actions were akin to "an ambush" and represented a new low in American foreign policy.
The presidents’ row took place in the final stages of a 45-minute long, tense but mostly cordial meeting.
Mr Trump and Mr Vance told Mr Zelenskyy he needed to be more thankful for American support and accused him of "gambling with World War 3".
Mr Vance stressed the need for diplomacy; Mr Zelenskyy, his arms folded, countered Russian President Vladimir Mr Putin could not be trusted and noted that Mr Vance had never visited Ukraine.
"What kind of diplomacy are you talking about, JD?" Mr Zelenskyy asked after recounting failed diplomatic efforts with Russia.
"I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country," Mr Vance shot back.
Mr Zelenskyy openly challenged Trump over his soft approach towards Putin, urging him to "make no compromises with a killer".
Prof Patman said the meeting was a "stage-managed" attempt by Mr Trump to strong-arm his Ukrainian counterpart into a settlement with Russia.
"[Mr Trump] was talking about it as if it was a real estate deal — this is a question of life and death for many Ukrainians," Prof Patman said.
"Zelenskyy has become a hero once again in Ukraine because of the fact that he reacted with calmness and steadfastness in the face of the bullying by Trump and [Mr Vance]."
The conflict might seem far away but strategically, it cut incredibly close to New Zealand.
If the United States appeared weak and allowed Russia to keep stolen land it would embolden China to be more assertive in the Pacific, where New Zealand had key interests.
"That attempt to berate and bully Mr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office was also a barely veiled attempt to intimidate and bully other small countries and other middle powers in the world. It was an attempt to show power.
"We can’t accept countries invading another and then being allowed to keep the land they’ve annexed.
"That’s completely at variance with everything that New Zealand stands for internationally and it would set a dangerous precedent.
"And yet Mr Trump seems very relaxed about it."
Damage to the United States’ reputation following the meeting would be huge — Mr Trump had "betrayed" the country’s international values, Prof Patman said.
"[Mr Trump] thinks great powers run the world, which is wrong. Because in the 21st century, most of the major problems facing countries can’t be solved by great powers.
"The only thing that can fix most problems is international co-operation."
