Trump-Zelenskyy clash leaves Ukraine exposed
WASHINGTON—Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s meeting with US President Donald Trump ended in disaster on Friday, after the two leaders clashed in an extraordinary exchange before the world’s media at the White House over the war with Russia.
Zelenskyy had seen the meeting in the Oval Office as an opportunity to convince the United States not to side with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who ordered the invasion of Ukraine three years ago.
Instead, US President Trump and Vice President JD Vance laid into Zelenskyy, saying he showed disrespect, driving relations with Kyiv’s most important wartime ally to a new low. The Ukrainian leader was told to leave, a US official said.
An agreement between Ukraine and the United States to jointly develop Ukraine’s rich natural resources—which Kyiv and its European allies had hoped would usher in better relations—was left unsigned and in limbo.
European leaders leapt to Zelenskyy’s defense. German chancellor-candidate Friedrich Merz said “we must never confuse aggressor and victim in this terrible war.”
Zelenskyy spoke by telephone with French President Emmanuel Macron, Nato (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Union Council President Antonio Costa, an official in the Ukrainian delegation in Washington told Reuters.
On Sunday, Britain is due to host a meeting with Zelenskyy and other European leaders to discuss a security backstop to any peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv.
‘You don’t have the cards’
Trump has lurched toward Russia since taking over as president, shocking traditional allies in Europe and beyond and leaving Ukraine increasingly vulnerable. Friday’s outburst was the most public display of that shift.
The conversation in the Oval Office began with the usual pleasantries but began to go downhill some 40 minutes later when Vice President JD Vance accused Zelenskyy of being ungrateful for US support and stressed the need for diplomacy to resolve the conflict.
Zelenskyy, his arms folded, countered that Putin could not be trusted and noted that Vance had never visited Ukraine.
“What kind of diplomacy are you talking about, JD?” Zelenskyy asked after recounting failed diplomatic efforts with Russia.
“I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country,” Vance shot back.
Zelenskyy earlier disagreed with Trump over several points, including his softer approach toward Putin, as the Ukrainian leader urged his US counterpart to “make no compromises with a killer.”
As the argument heated up further between Zelenskyy, and Trump and Vance, the US President rebuked Zelenskyy, saying, “You’re not in a good position. You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards.”
“I’m not playing cards, I’m very serious, Mr. President,” Zelenskyy said.
“You’re playing cards. You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people, you’re gambling with World War 3,” Trump replied.
“You’re either going to make a deal, or we’re out, and if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty,” he also said.
Vance interjected that it was disrespectful of Zelenskyy to come to the Oval Office to litigate his position, a point Trump agreed with.
“You didn’t say thank you,” Vance said. Zelenskyy, raising his voice, responded: “I said a lot of times, thank you to American people.”
Early exit
After the talks, Trump directed two top aides to tell Zelenskyy it was time to leave, even as attendants were preparing to serve lunch to the delegations, according to a White House official.
Trump then took to Truth Social after the meeting to accuse Zelenskyy of disrespecting the United States.
“I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved,” he wrote. “He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
He later told reporters, as he left the White House for a weekend at his Florida home, that Zelenskyy needs to realize he is losing the war.
“What he’s got to say is, ‘I want to make peace.’ He doesn’t have to stand there and say ‘Putin this, Putin that,’ all negative things. He’s got to say, ‘I want to make peace.’ I don’t want to fight a war anymore,” Trump said.
Zelenskyy, asked during an interview by Fox News if his relationship with Trump could be salvaged after Friday’s eruption, said, “Yes, of course,” but appeared to express some regret, adding “I’m sorry for this.”
The falling-out meant that Ukraine and the United States had failed to sign a much-vaunted minerals deal that Kyiv hoped would spur Trump to back Ukraine’s war effort and potentially win support from Republicans in Congress for a new round of aid.
But a senior White House official told Reuters on Friday evening that Trump is not interested in revisiting the minerals deal at the moment.
The official also said Zelenskyy’s delegation began “begging” to sign the deal immediately after he was told to leave the White House.
Yet according to sources, frustration had been growing at the White House in recent weeks as Trump officials attempted to negotiate the minerals deal with Ukraine.
