President Donald Trump berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for being B次元官网网址渄isrespectfulB次元官网网址� Friday in an extraordinary Oval Office meeting, then abruptly called off the signing of a minerals deal with the U.S. that Trump said would have moved Ukraine closer to ending its war with Russia.
The astonishing turn of events could scramble international affairs in Europe and around the globe. During his visit with Trump, Zelenskyy had planned to sign the deal allowing the U.S. greater access to UkraineB次元官网网址檚 rare earth minerals, then hold a joint news conference.
Instead, UkraineB次元官网网址檚 leader left the White House shortly after Trump shouted at him, showing open disdain. Untouched salad plates and other lunch items were being packed up outside the Cabinet room, where the lunch between Trump and Zelenskyy and their delegations was supposed to have taken place.
The White House said the Ukraine delegation was told to leave.
B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e gambling with World War III, and what youB次元官网网址檙e doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country thatB次元官网网址檚 backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have,B次元官网网址� Trump told Zelenskky.
The last 10 minutes of the nearly 45-minute meeting devolved into a tense back and forth between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Zelenskyy, who had urged skepticism about RussiaB次元官网网址檚 commitment to diplomacy, citing MoscowB次元官网网址檚 years of broken commitments on the global stage.
ZelenskyyB次元官网网址檚 main objective going into the sit-down had been to press Trump not to abandon his country and to warn against moving too closely to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Instead he got shouted at while Trump appeared to play up the drama for the cameras.
At one point, Zelenskyy said Putin had broken B次元官网网址渉is own signatureB次元官网网址� 25 times on ceasefires and other agreements and could not be trusted. Trump responded that Putin had not broken agreements with him and mostly ducked questions about offering security guarantees to Ukraine, saying he thought the minerals deal B次元官网网址� which is now on-hold B次元官网网址� would effectively end the fighting.
Things first got testy after Vance challenged Zelenskyy, telling him, B次元官网网址淢r. President, with respect, I think itB次元官网网址檚 disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.B次元官网网址� Zelensky tried to object, prompting Trump to raise his voice and say, B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e gambling with the lives of millions of people.B次元官网网址�
A short time later, Trump posted on his social media site that he had B次元官网网址渄eterminedB次元官网网址� that Zelenskyy B次元官网网址渋s not ready for Peace.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淗e disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace,B次元官网网址� Trump wrote.
Trump also suggested that the heated exchange was productive: B次元官网网址淢uch was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. ItB次元官网网址檚 amazing what comes out through emotion.B次元官网网址�
Democrats immediately criticized the administration for the breakdown. Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer said Trump and Vance B次元官网网址渁re doing PutinB次元官网网址檚 dirty work.B次元官网网址�
The testy exchange was especially surprising since it came a day after Trump struck a more conciliatory tone toward Ukraine, calling AmericaB次元官网网址檚 support for the country against RussiaB次元官网网址檚 invasion B次元官网网址渁 very worthy thing to doB次元官网网址� and disclaiming any memory that he had called the Ukrainian leader a B次元官网网址渄ictator.B次元官网网址�
Trump and Zelenskyy spoke politely, even with admiration, of one of another for the first half hour of the meeting. But, when the Ukrainian leader raised alarm about trusting any promises from Putin to end the fighting, Vance offered his strong rebuke for airing disagreements with Trump in public.
That instantly shifted the tenor of the conversation as Zelenskyy grew defensive and Trump and his vice president blasted him as ungrateful and issued stark warnings about future American support.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be a very hard thing to do business like this,B次元官网网址� Trump said to Zelenskyy as the two leaders talked over each other about past international support for Ukraine.
Vance then interjected, B次元官网网址淎gain, just say thank you,B次元官网网址� blasting Zelenskyy for litigating B次元官网网址渄isagreementsB次元官网网址� in front of the press.
Trump seemed pleased that the scene was being recorded on camera. B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 good for the American people to see whatB次元官网网址檚 going on,B次元官网网址� he added.
Trump also suggested that Zelenskyy should not be demanding concessions.
B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e not in a good position. You donB次元官网网址檛 have the cards right now,B次元官网网址� Trump said pointing his finger toward Zelenskyy. B次元官网网址淲ith us you start having cards.B次元官网网址�
Shortly before the meeting ended, Trump offered, B次元官网网址淭his is going to be great television.B次元官网网址�
Before the blow-up, Zelenskyy had been a landmark economic agreement with the U.S. aimed at financing the reconstruction of war-damaged , a deal that would have closely tied the two countries together for years to come.
As Ukrainian forces hold out against by RussiaB次元官网网址檚 larger and better-equipped army, leaders in Kyiv were pushing to ensure a potential U.S.-brokered peace plan would include guarantees for the countryB次元官网网址檚 future security.
Many Ukrainians fear that a hastily negotiated peace B次元官网网址� especially one that makes too many concessions to B次元官网网址� would allow Moscow to rearm and consolidate its forces for a future invasion after current hostilities cease.
Trump, a Republican, had framed the emerging agreement as a chance for Kyiv to compensate the U.S. for wartime aid sent under his predecessor, Democratic President Joe Biden. But Zelenskyy has remained firm that specific assurances for UkraineB次元官网网址檚 security must accompany any agreement giving U.S. access to UkraineB次元官网网址檚 resources.
It was ZelenskyyB次元官网网址檚 fifth White House visit, but his previous four came during the Biden administration. The Ukrainian president also was meeting with U.S. senators during his time in Washington.
Fears that Trump could broker a peace deal with Russia that is unfavorable to Ukraine have been amplified by recent by his administration.
Trump held a lengthy , and U.S. officials met with their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia without inviting European or Ukrainian leaders B次元官网网址� both dramatic breaks with previous U.S. policy to isolate Putin over his invasion.
Trump later seemed to for starting the war and called Zelenskyy a B次元官网网址渄ictatorB次元官网网址� for not holding elections after the end of his regular term last year, though Ukrainian law prohibits elections while martial law is in place.
