Conan O’Brien appeared at the Oscars to mock Donald Trump and his handling of the Russia-Ukraine war
At the Oscars, Conan O’Brien seemed to joke about President Donald Trump and his handling of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had met in the Oval Office two days before, during which the former warned the latter that “you are gambling with World War III.” The conversation increased worries in Ukraine and among its supporters in Europe that Trump would put too much pressure on Kyiv to give in to Vladimir Putin of Russia in order to secure a ceasefire agreement with Moscow.
“You know, Anora’s having a good night,” O’Brien added, referring to the movie about a prostitute who weds the son of a Russian tycoon. Yes, that’s fantastic news—two victories already.”
“I guess Americans are excited to see somebody finally stand up to a powerful Russian,” the host of the Oscars said. The celebrities in the audience cheered and laughed at the joke.
Anora won Best Picture and dominated the awards show. Oscars for original writing, editing, and directing went to director Sean Baker. Mikey Madison’s performance in the movie earned her the title of Best Actress.
What was supposed to be a diplomatic conversation on Friday about U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals and possible security guarantees for Kyiv turned into a spat, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticizing Zelensky for what they saw as his lack of appreciation for U.S. assistance in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump called Zelensky “disrespectful” and demanded that he show more gratitude for American assistance.
“You can either strike a deal or we’re going out; I’ve given you the confidence to be a difficult person. Trump said, “You don’t have the cards.”
In response, the Ukrainian president questioned Trump’s and Vance’s comprehension of the facts of the conflict, posing the question, “Have you ever been to Ukraine? Have you noticed the issues we face?
“You’re not in a very good position right now,” Trump said to Zelensky later in the discussion. You’ve put yourself in a terrible situation, which [Vance] just so happens to be in.”
Zelensky continued by saying that Trump is “gambling with the lives of millions of people.” You’re wagering on World War III, and your actions are very insulting to our nation.”
“Have you said thank you once?” inquired Vance of Zelensky.
On X, White House press secretary Karine Leavitt said, “President Trump and Vice President Pence are standing up for the American people.”
Trump was criticized by Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett in a post on X: “It’s been a hard day, but to put it briefly, bullies aren’t s***! What title you have doesn’t matter to me! This is a battle, not some defunct casino or a long-gone TV show! How could a foolish fool who avoids the draft degrade an ally and scold a real hero who has served his countrymen on the battlefield?
Britain and France have agreed to collaborate with Ukraine on a ceasefire proposal that will be presented to the United States, according to U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday.
To discuss ending Russia’s conflict in Ukraine, European leaders met in London with NATO commander Mark Rutte, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
