Zelensky's ex-studio makes insulting reference to Trump (PHOTO, VIDEO)
Ukrainian comedy studio Kvartal 95 (District 95), which was founded by Vladimir Zelensky, has taken a swipe at US President Donald Trump by posting a picture of a piano with his name on it, an apparent reference to a skit in which Zelensky played the instrument with no pants on.
The post, featuring a black grand piano with 'Trump' written on it, was published by the studio on Instagram late on Friday. This came after the US president and the Ukrainian leader had a meeting at the White House in which a heated exchange took place.
Things took a turn for the worse when Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance berated Zelensky for failing to show gratitude for America's substantial military assistance, while also accusing him of not wanting to reach a peace deal with Russia and gambling with World War III.
The Ukrainian leader rebuked Vance, saying he has never visited the country and claiming that if Washington drags its feet on further aid to Kiev, it will face problems in the future, presumably from Russia. Trump accused Zelensky of 'disrespecting' the US, adding that his counterpart can 'come back when he is ready for peace.'
As a result of the tense quarrel, the sides did not sign an agreement that was set to grant the US rights to Ukraine's natural resources to compensate for America's hefty aid to Kiev.
Kvartal 95 Studio was founded in 2003 by Vladimir Zelensky and his colleagues and focused on producing films, TV series, and organizing concerts and skits. In September 2016, Zelensky, along with three other members of his comedy troupe, mimed playing the piano without using their hands with their pants down on several compositions, including a rendition of 'Habanera' from Georges Bizet's 'Carmen', as well as Jewish folk staple 'Hava Nagila'.
Zelensky leveraged his public profile as a comedian – including a role in a TV series in which he played a history teacher who unexpectedly became president – to successfully run for office in 2019, defeating then-President Pyotr Poroshenko.
His term expired last May, but Zelensky refused to hold a new election, citing martial law. Russia considers him illegitimate, insisting that legal authority in Ukraine now lies with the parliament.
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