KYIV, Ukraine: Soon after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky left the White House on Friday after an astonishing Oval Office blowout with President Donald Trump, Ukrainians rallied around Zelensky as a defender of his country鈥檚 interests.
The shouting match that unfolded in the final minutes of the highly anticipated meeting between the two leaders seemed to dash, at least for now, Ukrainian hopes that the United States could be locked in as a reliable partner in helping fend off, and conclude, Russia鈥檚 three-year onslaught.
The exchange, which saw a frustrated Zelensky lectured by Trump and Vice President JD Vance over what they saw as his lack of gratitude for previous US support, delighted officials in Moscow, who saw it as a final breakdown in relations between Washington and the Ukrainian leader.
Many Ukrainians unfazed by the row
But many Ukrainians on Friday seemed unfazed by the blowout between Zelensky and Trump, expressing a sense that the Ukrainian leader had stood up for their country鈥檚 dignity and interests by firmly maintaining his stance in the face of chiding from some of the world鈥檚 most powerful men.
Nataliia Serhiienko, 67, a retiree in Kyiv, said she thinks Ukrainians approve of their president鈥檚 performance in Washington, 鈥渂ecause Zelensky fought like a lion.鈥�
鈥淭hey had a heated meeting, a very heated conversation,鈥� she said. But Zelensky 鈥渨as defending Ukraine鈥檚 interests.鈥�
The meeting at the White House was meant to produce a bilateral agreement that would establish a joint investment fund for reconstructing Ukraine, a deal that was seen as a potential step toward bringing an end to the war and tying the two countries鈥� economies together for years to come.
But as Zelensky and his team departed the White House at Trump鈥檚 request, the deal went unsigned, and Ukraine鈥檚 hopes for securing US security backing seemed farther away than ever.
Yet as the Ukrainian leader was set to return to Kyiv empty handed, his support at home seemed undiminished.

Regional Ukrainian leader says president 鈥榟eld strong鈥�
As two drones struck Ukraine鈥檚 second-largest city Kharkiv on Friday night, the head of the region which sits on the border with Russia, Oleh Syniehubov, praised Zelensky. He said the president held strong to his insistence that no peace deal could be made without assurances for Ukraine鈥檚 security against future Russian aggression.
鈥淥ur leader, despite the pressure, stands firm in defending the interests of Ukraine and Ukrainians. 鈥� We need only a just peace with security guarantees,鈥� Syniehubov said.
Kyiv resident Artem Vasyliev, 37, said he had seen 鈥渃omplete disrespect鈥� from the United States in the Oval Office exchange, despite the fact that Ukraine 鈥渨as the first country that stood up to Russia.鈥�
鈥淲e are striving for democracy, and we are met with total disrespect, toward our warriors, our soldiers, and the people of our country,鈥� said Vasyliev, a native of Russian-occupied Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.
Vasyliev criticized the US president for what he said was a failure to recognize the human cost of Russia鈥檚 invasion, saying Trump 鈥渄oesn鈥檛 understand that people are dying, that cities are being destroyed, people are suffering, mothers, children, soldiers.鈥�
鈥淗e cannot understand this, he is just a businessman. For him, money is sacred,鈥� he said.
Broad praise for Zelensky on social media
Ukrainian social media was awash in praise for Zelensky late Friday, with officials on the national, regional and local level chiming in to voice their support for their leader.
The outpouring resembled a recent surge in Ukrainian unity after Trump denigrated Zelensky by making false claims that Ukraine was led by a 鈥渄ictator鈥� who started the war with Russia 鈥� comments that led some of the Ukrainian president鈥檚 harshest critics to rally around him.
Oleksandr Prokudin, head of Ukraine鈥檚 southern Kherson region, which was mostly occupied by Russia early in the war but later partially retaken by Ukrainian forces, said three years of war had hardened his countrymen to the ups and downs of the fight to survive.
鈥淲e know what pressure is, on the front lines, in politics, in daily struggle,鈥� Prokudin said. 鈥淚t has made us stronger. It has made the president stronger. Determination is the force that drives us forward. And I am confident that we will endure this time as well.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 administration cast the heated exchange with Zelensky as part of its 鈥淎merica First鈥� policy and slammed the Ukrainian leader for a perceived lack of gratitude for US assistance.
But Zelensky鈥檚 backers in Ukraine praised his commitment to acting in Ukraine鈥檚 national interest 鈥� even if it meant coming into conflict with the president of the United States.
鈥淯nwavering commitment to Ukraine鈥檚 interests and devotion to his country. This is what we saw today in the United States. Support for the President of Ukraine,鈥� Vice Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba wrote on Telegram Friday.
Not all of Ukraine鈥檚 political figures, however, were as full-throated in their praise for how the Oval Office meeting concluded. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that he hoped 鈥渢hat Ukraine does not lose the support of the United States, which is extremely important to us.鈥�
鈥淭oday is not the time for emotions, from either side. We need to find common ground,鈥� Klitschko wrote in a post on Telegram.