Mass protests in support of Ukraine have taken place across the United States following a dispute between US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, the BBC reports .

Hundreds of protesters gathered in New York, Los Angeles and Boston, holding Ukrainian flags and placards with condemnatory messages. Demonstrations also took place in Waitsfield, Vermont, where Vice President Vance was on a ski vacation with his family. The protests forced his family to leave the resort and move to a secret location.

"I think [Friday's] speech at the White House has galvanized even more people into the streets," said Judy Daly of Indivisible Mad River Valley, which organized the Vermont protest.

Protests also took place outside Tesla stores across the country, with protesters expressing dissatisfaction with Trump's appointment of Elon Musk to head the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk, who advocates for cutting government spending, has been criticized by activists.

Trump and Zelensky had a heated exchange in the Oval Office on Friday, February 28. The American leader sharply demanded that the Ukrainian president agree to a peace deal with Russia, saying: “Either you make a deal or we leave.” He also accused Zelensky of being ungrateful for U.S. support and warned that he was “playing with World War III.”

Vance, in turn, condemned the Ukrainian leader, calling his behavior “disrespectful” and accusing him of “arranging proceedings in front of the cameras.”

Subscribe to our Telegram channel

Cover: Photo — EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock