Iranian supreme leader slams Ukraine’s reliance on US amid recent Trump-Zelenskyy clash

In the wake of a tense Oval Office exchange between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on February 28, the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reposted his 2022 comments criticizing Ukraine's reliance on the United States.

"The first lesson from the situation in Ukraine is that Western support for countries and governments that are their puppets is a mirage," the post on Khamenei's X account quoted him as saying in Ukrainian, Caliber.Az reports via Iranian media.

Перший урок із ситуації в Україні полягає в тому, що підтримка західних держав країн і урядів, які є їхніми маріонетками, — це міраж. Це повинні зрозуміти всі уряди. Ті уряди, які покладаються на США та Європу, нехай подивляться на сьогоднішнє становище України.
1 березня 2022 р

— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) March 1, 2025

"All governments must understand this. Those governments relying on the US and Europe should look at the current situation in Ukraine," the post reads, referencing his remarks from March 1, 2022.

Khamenei’s office shared these old comments in response to the controversial meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, seemingly reinforcing his long-standing opposition to the West, particularly the United States. Over the past few hours, many Iranian hardliners have asserted that the Trump-Zelenskyy confrontation supports Khamenei’s stance against negotiations with the US.

In early February, Khamenei declared that negotiations with the Trump administration would not be “wise, expedient, or dignified,” a sentiment now amplified by the recent clash between Trump and Zelenskyy. These hardliners argue that the exchange should serve as a cautionary tale for those questioning Khamenei’s resistance to talks with Washington.

Social media discussions have also revived Khamenei's earlier warnings about direct negotiations with the US, particularly his criticism of Trump’s failure to honor the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal and the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran in 2018.

In contrast, some reformist politicians and commentators, who typically support direct talks with the United States, have voiced new skepticism about the viability of negotiations with the Trump administration following the Oval Office incident.

By Khagan Isayev