The MeidasTouch Podcast: "Furious Zelenskyy Checkmates Trump on UK Trip"

Date: September 17, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

Brief Overview

This episode centers on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's forceful and strategic public rebuke of Donald Trump, coinciding with Trump’s trip to the United Kingdom. The Meiselas brothers delve into Zelenskyy’s statements and recent interview with Sky News, sharply contrasting the Ukrainian leader’s directness with what they characterize as Trump’s weakness and pro-Putin rhetoric. The episode critiques Trump and certain Republican figures, notably Marco Rubio, for their approaches to the Ukraine-Russia war, while showcasing Zelenskyy’s clarity about the stakes for Ukraine, Europe, and democracy at large.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Zelenskyy’s Forceful Response to Trump’s Narrative

• (00:51 - 03:44)
  • President Zelenskyy issues a statement countering Trump’s claim (and similar right-wing talking points) that the Russia-Ukraine war is "Biden and Zelensky’s war," emphasizing that it is "Putin’s war alone."
  • Zelenskyy highlights Ukraine’s persistent willingness for peace, noting, “Ukraine has also proactively put forward various formats to bring the war to an end. It is Putin alone who is interested in these killings every day. This war remains solely his war, the war of Russia alone.”
  • Zelenskyy calls for the world, especially Europe and the US, to recognize who is truly responsible for the conflict and hints that ignoring Russian aggression could lead to future attacks on other nations, such as Poland or broader NATO.

2. Zelenskyy’s Interview with Sky News: Exposing Putin’s Manipulation

• (03:44 - 04:27)
  • Zelenskyy tells the interviewer, “He [Putin] definitely wants to trick the U.S… If you keep postponing applying sanctions any further, then the Russians will be better prepared.” (03:44)
  • He explains that Russia isn’t seeking peace, saying, “They want to continue the war and that's why they postponed… meetings of decisions and about ceasefire. It's not about ceasefire in any way.” (04:14)

3. Trump's Weak and Contradictory Rhetoric

• (04:35 - 07:05)
  • Trump, en route to the UK, says about Ukraine, “It takes two to tango… Zelenskyy and Putin hate each other. And it looks like I’m going to have to get in the room” (06:18), which the hosts ridicule as a misunderstanding of the situation—since only Putin is refusing negotiations.
  • Trump admits past claims that he could end the war in “24 hours” were “a little bit sarcastic,” not a realistic plan. (07:02)
  • The hosts scorn Trump's flip-flopping as irresponsible humor on a grave matter.

4. Marco Rubio and the “Framework” Farce

• (07:05 - 08:55)
  • Ben recalls Senator Rubio’s earlier proclamations about having a “framework” for peace after 89 days of Trump’s presidency. Rubio’s evasive language (“I'm not going to tell you what the framework says… It’s a broad framework…”) is dissected as more empty political theater than substance.

5. Zelenskyy’s Linguistic Dexterity and Stinging Critique

• (09:55 - 10:24)
  • Zelenskyy says, “It's difficult to have messages to people without ears… They live in their fish tank. It's really… their world.” (10:24) The hosts point out he’s referencing both Putin and Trump, critiquing their refusal to listen to reality.

6. Zelenskyy on Meeting Trump and Putin—But Not in Moscow

• (11:31 - 12:34)
  • Zelenskyy asserts his openness to meet both leaders “without any kind of conditions” but firmly refuses to go to Moscow for such talks:

    “No, of course not… Russia attacked us. I can’t go to the country when… they're attacking us. So it can't be so—under missiles, to go to their capital." (12:09)

7. The Future and Russia’s Lost History

• (12:34 - 13:41)
  • Zelenskyy expresses hope that Russians will one day recognize how Putin destroyed their national history:

    “They will have to recognize that Putin destroyed their history. And they will apologize… their children will apologize and their grandchildren… because of this. And this is a fact. Ukraine is… one country who… decided to fight for children and for freedom because Ukrainians want to be free. It's just in our blood.” (12:41)

8. The Human Cost and European Sanctions

• (13:41 - 16:00)
  • Zelenskyy posts videos documenting ongoing Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, with hundreds of drone and artillery attacks just in September.
  • The hosts correct Trump’s claims about European dependence on Russian oil, highlighting how Trump supports Hungary’s direct oil imports from Russia and recently lifted travel sanctions against Hungary’s government.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Zelenskyy:

  • “It’s difficult to have messages to people without ears… They live in their fish tank. It’s really… their world.” (10:24)
  • “No, of course not. Russia attacked us. I can't go to the country when this country, this city, Moscow, they're attacking us.” (12:09)
  • “They will have to recognize that Putin destroyed their history… Ukrainians want to be free. It's just in our blood.” (12:41)

• MidasTouch (Ben):

  • On Trump’s attempts at negotiation: “Putin doesn’t want you in the room. Zelinsky wants you in the room. Someone wants to tango, you idiot, and it’s Zelinsky.” (04:35)
  • On Trump’s Alaska “peace summit”: “…the biggest global humiliation in the history of the United States...That photograph will forever…be in their museums the day they brought America to its knees.” (05:15)

• Marco Rubio (clip):

  • “I'm not going to tell you what the framework says because when you start negotiating these things through the media…they fall apart. And…it's a broad framework.” (08:09)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:51 – Zelenskyy’s direct statement against Trump’s narrative
• 03:44 – Zelenskyy on Putin’s manipulation of the West
• 04:35 – Trump’s “two to tango” comment and hosts’ reaction
• 06:18 – Trump describes his 24-hour peace claim as “sarcastic”
• 08:09 – Marco Rubio’s evasive “framework” for peace
• 10:24 – Zelenskyy: “Messages to people without ears”
• 12:09 – Zelenskyy on refusing to meet in Moscow
• 12:41 – Zelenskyy on Russians realizing Putin’s damage
• 13:41 – Footage and updates on Russian attacks against Ukraine

Overall Tone and Flow

The episode divides sharply between the earnest, often grim seriousness of Zelenskyy's statements and the biting, sometimes sardonic banter of the Meiselas brothers. They highlight the disconnect between the Ukrainian leader’s clarity and urgency and what they see as Trump and Rubio’s evasions and unseriousness. Zelenskyy emerges as focused and undeterred, while Trump is depicted as weak and self-serving.

For listeners seeking a passionate, pro-democracy take on global events—with humor and hard-hitting political critique—this episode captures the stakes of the Ukraine conflict, the international response, and the clash of leadership styles at the heart of today’s geopolitics.