Bay Area congressmen react to Trump and Zelenskyy fallout

SARATOGA, Calif. (KGO) -- More than 300 people packed West Valley College Theater in Saratoga for Congressman Sam Liccardo's first town hall meeting since being elected.

Before the meeting got underway on Friday night, he addressed the heated exchange that stretched roughly five minutes between Vice President Vance, President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky.

Zelensky was in Washington to sign a high stakes agreement. The minerals deal would have established a partnership with the U.S. but after the public fallout, Zelensky left without a deal and any assurance the U.S. will continue to support Ukraine.

"They did their part for peace, it was our responsibility to step up for them and we know that if Putin prevails in Ukraine he's not going to stop," Representative Liccardo said.

Liccardo said betraying Ukraine will cause long term irreparable damage. He called President Trump the reincarnation of Neville Chamberlain.

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"Was best known in history for what he gave away to Hitler. It's been said is that 90% of what authoritarians gain in power is yielded, not by force but by consent," Liccardo said.

Congressman John Garamendi said the President further aligned himself with Putin.

"Who has made it very clear he wants to establish the Soviet Empire and create the soviet influence and this is now he intends to do it. Now he has the President of the United States, the Vice President and apparently a whole lot of Republican Senators and house members supporting a total capitulation. It is unbelievable and it is extraordinarily dangerous for the United States," Garamendi said.

Congressman Mike Lawler, a republican and representative for New York posted this on X.

"...it was extremely short sighted to engage in that type of exchange in front of the U.S. and international press as you work towards an agreement. Sadly, the only winner of today is Vladimir Putin."