According to CNN, on August 16th, local time, a source informed that the U.S. Vice President Pence would attend the meeting between U.S. President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky at the White House on August 18th.
After the meeting between the heads of the United States and Russia, Trump spoke with Zelensky and other European leaders on August 16th, local time, and invited Zelensky to visit Washington D.C. on August 18th. Zelensky confirmed the news.
During Zelensky’s visit to the United States in February, he had a fierce argument with Trump and Pence at the White House. Pence accused Zelensky of lacking “gratitude” and asked him, “Have you said a word of thanks once?”
On February 28th, local time, Trump, Pence, and Zelensky had a fierce argument at the White House.
Afterward, Zelensky left the White House for the United Kingdom, and the planned joint meeting was canceled. The two sides also failed to sign the US-Ukraine mineral agreement.
Later, Pence said on TV that he seemed to have “angered” Zelensky at that time and criticized him for lacking respect and being unwilling to participate in the peace process proposed by the United States.
In May, Pence met with Zelensky in Rome, Italy for the first time after their intense argument at the White House, with U.S. Secretary of State Rubio in attendance.
Although not invited to the meeting, after it, Pence posted on social media that both sides discussed the latest situation about the ceasefire and peace negotiations in Ukraine, and released a photo of him and Zelensky smiling together.
A senior Ukrainian official said at that time that compared with the talk between February at the White House, the meeting between Zelensky and Pence in Rome had a “better atmosphere”. (This article is from Observer Network)