Friday, February 21, 2025

Ill-advised Vogue cover comes back to bite Zelenskyy, White House axes presser February 20, 2025 | Nicole Haas | Print Article

     News/Commentary

Ill-advised Vogue cover comes back to bite Zelenskyy, White House axes presser

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s ill-fated Vogue cover has come back to bite as the war of words between world leaders escalates.

Zelenskyy and his wife Olena Zelenska took heat in July 2002 after appearing in a glossy photo shoot for the glamorous magazine.

At the time, Americans were incensed that Joe Biden had just pumped $40 million dollars into Ukraine and slammed the photoshoot for being egregiously out-of-touch.

Fast forward to the present time where newly-elected President Donald J. Trump is openly criticizing Zelenskyy for horrendous leadership and is threatening to cut off his perpetual stream of American tax dollars. In the current light, the Vogue cover appears in even worse taste to many, including Space X CEO and DOGE head, Elon Musk.

Trump has come under fire, including from Republicans, after seemingly accusing Zelenskyy of being a “dictator without elections” and of starting the war between Ukraine and Russia. He also blasted Zelensky for losing massive amounts of U.S. tax dollars and being responsible for “millions” of unnecessary deaths.


Zelenskyy fired back and accused Trump of living in a Russian “disinformation space,” and expressed frustration over U.S.-Russia talks that exclude Ukraine. The ongoing negotiations, involving U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian officials, aim to end the war but some argue favor Moscow.

Zelenskyy met with Trump’s envoy, Keith Kellogg, in Kyiv, but a planned press conference was canceled at Washington’s request, indicating friction.

Trump’s accusations enraged Democrats and those who support the ongoing war, and had X users engaged in hot debate as the re-surfaced Vogue cover once again, took center stage.

The heated rhetoric between the world leaders even had a Ukrainian soldier tear off the American flag from his helmet in protest of Trump’s words.

But, many Americans believe it shouldn’t have been there in the first place.

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