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OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
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Fox News host Brian Kilmeade is facing backlash online after urging his followers to oppose President Donald Trump’s stance on the Ukraine-Russia war.
The unexpected clash places a prominent figure from the nation’s largest conservative cable news network at odds with the Republican president, who is now in his sixth week in office. The tension follows Trump’s headline-making reprimand of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, delivered face-to-face in front of the national media.
Posting on X, Kilmeade reminded his 900,000 followers that Russia initiated the war in 2022 and that its president, Vladimir Putin, remains the aggressor—points Trump has never explicitly denied—seemingly taking a subtle jab at the President.
“Can we all remember @KremlinRussia_E is the bad guy- they invaded – they kidnap kids – Whatever happens – Ukraine can not lose – eastern. Europe will be next,” Kilmeade wrote, while also tagging Putin’s official presidential account.
Can we all remember @KremlinRussia_E is the bad guy- they invaded – they kidnap kids – Whatever happens – Ukraine can not lose – eastern. Europe will be next
— Brian Kilmeade (@kilmeade) March 4, 2025
Establishment Republicans have aligned with Kilmeade in opposing President Trump’s negotiations with Putin, which notably exclude Zelenskyy. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has previously acknowledged that Ukraine is unlikely to reclaim much of the eastern territory currently occupied by Russia.
Commentators responding to Kilmeade took a hardline stance, mocking him for claiming that Russia is capable of continuing its expansion into Europe.
“Europe will be next? So they couldn’t take Kyiv, but somehow they are going to conquer all of Europe? What you are saying contradicts all reality,” one user wrote.
Another asked, “How is Putin going to invade Eastern Europe when after 3 years he can’t take Ukraine?”
Bro – you don't actually believe Russia has the combat power to annex all of Eastern Europe when Putin can't even conquer all of Ukraine – do you?
— USA Features Media (@UsaFeatures) March 4, 2025
Kilmeade’s remark comes after a dust-up in the Oval Office between President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday that left a considerable rift between both countries.
To that point, Vance visited Capitol Hill on Monday and provided a key update on the negotiations with Ukraine regarding a rare earth minerals deal and a cease-fire with Russia.
CNN’s Manu Raju asked Vance: “If Zelenskyy changes his posture, his focus, would there be a consideration of bringing the aid back on? Or is that an indefinite pause, a long-term pause, do you see it?”
“No, look it… he president has been very clear he wants the Ukrainians to come to the negotiating table. I think when the Ukrainians come to the negotiating table, everything is on the table,” Vance responded.
Raju then asked, “What do you need to see from President Zelenskyy?”
Vance replied: “Look, I think the most important thing, a lot of people have made this about public statements, President Zelenskyy needs to say that he is committed to the peace or President Zelenskyy needs to apologize to the president.
“The public stuff doesn’t matter nearly as much as what are the Ukrainians doing to meaningfully engage on what a peaceful settlement would look like. We need to Ukrainians privately to come to us and say, ‘This is what we need, this is what we want. This is how we’ll participate in the process to end this conflict. That is the most important thing, and that lack of private engagement is what is most concerning to us,” Vance added.