Marco Rubio Says Zelensky Hasn't Expressed Enough 'Gratitude' to Trump

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended President Donald Trump's recent claims about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and said the leader hadn't expressed "gratitude" for Trump's offers to aid his country.

"I think President Trump is very upset at President Zelensky and rightfully so," Rubio told journalist Catherine Herridge in an interview on X on Friday.

Rubio claimed that in a meeting with himself and Vice President JD Vance, Zelensky agreed to a mineral rights deal with the U.S. However, he claims "two days later," he read that Zelensky said he rejected the deal.

"We're trying to help these guys," Rubio said. He added that Trump said he "cares" about Ukraine, but it's on another continent and therefore "doesn't affect the daily lives of Americans." Rubio went on to suggest that Ukraine should have "some level of gratitude" for U.S. intervention in Ukraine.

The rising tensions between Trump and Zelensky hit a boiling point on on Wednesday, when Trump called Zelensky a "dictator without elections" in a post on Truth Social.

"A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left. In the meantime, we are successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia, something all admit only 'TRUMP,' and the Trump Administration, can do," he wrote.

Trump's fiery post came after Zelensky accused Trump of "living in a disinformation space" after Trump claimed Zelensky's approval rating was at 4%.

"Since we are talking about 4 percent, we have seen this disinformation, we understand that it is coming from Russia," Zelensky said. "We understand this, and we have evidence that these numbers are being discussed between America and Russia."

"President Trump, with great respect for him as a leader of the people...unfortunately, lives in this disinformation space," Zelensky said in a news conference on Wednesday.

Trump's Truth Social post about Zelensky and Ukraine drew swift backlash from U.S. lawmakers.

In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) called Trump's words a "disgusting betrayal" of Ukraine and asked "what world" Trump was living in.

"It is not only contrary to the facts and the truth but utterly despicable, a disgusting betrayal of a country that has bled and fought and died for freedom. The president's surrender is pathetic and weak," Blumenthal said.

Members of Trump's own Republican party also rebuked his claims.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) said the Ukraine-Russia war is "the responsibility of one human being... Vladimir Putin," in a speech on Thursday.

Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence also condemned the notion that the Ukraine war was started by Ukraine. "Mr. President, Ukraine did not "start" this war. Russia launched an unprovoked and brutal invasion claiming hundreds of thousands of lives. The Road to Peace must be built on the Truth," Pence wrote on X on Wednesday.