Sir Michael Caine has weighed in on the heated clash between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The 47-year-old Ukrainian leader traveled to Washington, D.C., on Friday (February 28) to seek security guarantees from the US and discuss a proposed mineral agreement amid Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia.
While his last meeting in the US with former President Joe Biden was civil, his encounter with current President Trump and Vice President JD Vance turned into a fiery confrontation.
Vance accused Zelenskyy of failing to show gratitude for US support, bluntly stating: “I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media.”
Zelenskyy fired back by asking if Vance had even visited Ukraine during the war before remarking that the US “will feel it in the future” with regards to the impact of war.
The response seemed to rattle Trump, who snapped: “Don’t tell us what we’re gonna feel… We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re gonna feel.”
The 78-year-old continued, telling the European leader: “You have to be thankful. You don’t have the cards. You’re buried there. Your people are dying. You’re running low on soldiers. I’ve empowered you to be a tough guy, and I don’t think you’d be a tough guy without the United States.”
Trump also told Zelenskyy he was “gambling with millions of lives” and “World War III”.
According to reports, the meeting ended abruptly, and Zelenskyy was allegedly “kicked out” of the White House soon after, per CNBC.
As reactions poured in from across the globe in real-time, one Hollywood legend may have had the perfect response to the debacle.
Sir Michael Caine took to X (formerly Twitter) with a simple yet powerful three-word message, which read: “Calm down Trump.”
The post quickly went viral on the platform, amassing 172K likes and 12K retweets.
Trump calm down
— Michael Caine (@themichaelcaine) February 28, 2025
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The 91-year-old British acting legend, best known for The Italian Job and Interstellar, wasn’t done.
He followed up his post with another “Calm down”, before making a reference to his iconic 1969 film, tweaking one of his most famous lines: “You’re only suppose to sign a cease fire.”
Fans immediately applauded his take, with one person commenting: “Epic comment from you, sir.”
Another shared: “This is why you’re a national treasure,” and a third added: “Michael Caine weighing in on foreign policy 8 words at a time has been the only good thing to come out of today.”
Following the dramatic confrontation, both Trump and Zelenskyy issued statements.
The two-time US president shared on his X page: “We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE.”
“He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace,” he added.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy posted on X: “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.”
He also shared a lengthy, additional post after his interview with Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier, which read: “America’s help has been vital in helping us survive, and I want to acknowledge that. Despite the tough dialogue, we remain strategic partners. But we need to be honest and direct with each other to truly understand our shared goals.”
“It’s crucial for us to have President Trump’s support. He wants to end the war, but no one wants peace more than we do. We are the ones living this war in Ukraine. It’s a fight for our freedom, for our very survival,” he wrote.
Zelenskyy has since stated that he is “ready to sign the mineral deal”, but needs security assurances from Trump and the United States first.
