Late night hosts recap Volodymyr Zelensky's address to Congress, mock Trump's 'surprise' at Putin's invasion
Three weeks into Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine, Russia's bogged-down military has "changed their tactics to just unadulterated terrorism," Stephen Colbert said on Wednesday's Late Show. "And with Ukrainian cities, especially Kyiv, under constant attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave a virtual address to Congress this morning."
Congress gave Zelensky a standing ovation, and "you know it was a powerful speech when that many old people jumped to their feet," Colbert said. "There are knees in that room that were alive during the Roosevelt administration."
"Zelensky delivered a virtual address to Congress this morning and received a standing ovation, making him the first comedian to actually deserve one," Seth Meyers said on Late Night. Meanwhile, "former President Trump said in a new interview that he was 'surprised' when Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine," he added. "Really? Because he invaded Ukraine in 2014. When you're surprised by a thing that's already happened, that's a symptom."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Trump said that he's 'surprised' Putin invaded Ukraine and that Putin's 'changed,'" Jimmy Fallon said on The Tonight Show. "Trump went on to say, 'This is not the man I fell in love with.'"
"At least he still has Kim Jong Un, I guess," Jimmy Kimmel joked on Kimmel Live. The Ukraine war "is not going the way the Russians hoped it would. Their economy is tanking, business are closing, assets have been frozen, and the only pizza they can get now is Papa John's."
Putin always has Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson and "Comrade Jeanine" Pirro's "Happy Vodka Shout Time," The Late Show noted.
"Vladimir Putin is not happy about any of this," Trevor Noah said on The Daily Show. "In fact, today he gave a speech in which he complained that the West is trying to 'cancel Russia,' which is pretty rich coming from this dude. My man is over here as the only person in history who's ever sent an army to kill a comedian."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
In his speech, "Zelensky pleaded with the U.S. to send more weapons and enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine," and while the no-fly zone is a no-go, because World War III, everyday Americans are stepping up with donations — including weapons, Noah said. "I guess this is just a beautiful example of how an ecosystem can balance itself. One country's problems can be another country's solution. America has too many guns and over-militarized police force? Send it over to Ukraine. Hell, throw in some mass shooters, too."
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Mixed nuts: RFK Jr.’s new nutrition guidelines receive uneven reviewsTalking Points The guidelines emphasize red meat and full-fat dairy
-
Will regulators put a stop to Grok’s deepfake porn images of real people?Today’s Big Question Users command AI chatbot to undress pictures of women and children
-
‘All of these elements push survivors into silence’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
US nabs ‘shadow’ tanker claimed by RussiaSpeed Read The ship was one of two vessels seized by the US military
-
Maduro pleads not guilty in first US court hearingSpeed Read Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to cocaine trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracy
-
Iran’s government rocked by protestsSpeed Read The death toll from protests sparked by the collapse of Iran’s currency has reached at least 19
-
All roads to Ukraine-Russia peace run through the DonbasIN THE SPOTLIGHT Volodymyr Zelenskyy is floating a major concession on one of the thorniest issues in the complex negotiations between Ukraine and Russia
-
Israel approves new West Bank settlementsSpeed Read The ‘Israeli onslaught has all but vanquished a free Palestinian existence in the West Bank’
-
US offers Ukraine NATO-like security pact, with caveatsSpeed Read The Trump administration has offered Ukraine security guarantees similar to those it would receive from NATO
-
Hong Kong court convicts democracy advocate LaiSpeed Read Former Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai was convicted in a landmark national security trial
-
Australia weighs new gun laws after antisemitic attackSpeed Read A father and son opened fire on Jewish families at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing at least 15
