Special Poll
Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) expressed his disagreement with fellow Republicans who are calling for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to step down.
During an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Lankford discussed the tense Oval Office meeting between President Trump and Zelensky and the subsequent push from some GOP leaders for new leadership in Ukraine.
“I don’t agree,” Lankford stated. “I’m not in favor of calling for the resignation of foreign leaders. I didn’t support it when Chuck Schumer suggested removing Netanyahu, and I don’t support it now with Zelensky.”
He warned that forcing Zelensky out of office could destabilize Ukraine and make an already difficult situation even worse.
Lankford acknowledged that the recent meeting between Trump and Zelensky ended on bad terms, but he pointed out that they have had productive discussions in the past. As Trump takes the lead in peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, some have raised concerns about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However, Lankford downplayed those worries, emphasizing that Trump chose to meet with Zelensky first as part of his diplomatic approach. “President Trump obviously met with Zelensky first,” Lankford explained. “Everyone is working with the Russians, but he made sure to meet with Zelensky personally before anything else.”
“I think that’s a very clear sign of where he stands on this issue,” he added.