With the future of Ukraine in balance, a high -risk meeting on Friday between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy became a shout match.
The surprising exchange, before the cameras and one different from any other in the oval office in modern times, saw Trump and vice president JD Vance rebuke Zelenskyy for his war management, again blaming the Ukrainian leader for a conflict that began when Vladimir Putin of Russia launched a large -scale invasion.
Zelenskyy was in Washington to sign an agreement that would give access to the United States to the mineral resources of Ukraine. But that was before the boiling tensions exploded to public opinion when Trump and Vance accused Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful” towards the United States and the Trump administration.
Vice President JD Vance speaks during a meeting with President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Oval Office of the White House on February 28, 2025 in Washington
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
His joint press conference, where they had to sign the agreement, was canceled. Trump issued a brief statement and Zelenskyy left shortly after. The White House said he asked Zelenskyy to leave, confirmed by a member of the Ukrainian delegation.
“I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for peace if the United States is involved, because he feels that our participation gives him a great advantage in negotiations,” Trump said in a publication on social networks. “I don’t want advantage, I want peace. He did not respect the United States of America in his appreciated Oval office. He can return when he is ready for peace.”
Zelenskyy also published a brief publication about X: “Thank you America, thanks for your support, thanks for this visit. Thank you @potus, the American congress and the people. Ukraine needs fair and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.”
Here are key conclusions.
Trump threatens Zelenskyy: “Make a deal or we are out”
After Boxar Ukraine and Europe in the initial peace talks with Russia, Trump continues to state that Ukraine does not have the “cards at this time.”
“You are playing with World War II,” Trump told Zelenskyy while talking about each other at the Oval office.
President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House in Washington, DC, on February 28, 2025.
Brian Snyder/Reuters
The US president seemed to deliver a kind of Ultimatum to the Ukrainian leader, who said “was not in a very good position.”
“You’re going to make a deal or we’re out,” Trump said. “And if we are out, you’ll fight. I don’t think it’s pretty, but you’ll fight.”
Vance gets involved, faces Zelenskyy
The shouting party took place after Vance intervened to defend Trump’s diplomatic approach, including his conversations with Putin, and the dribbling Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy pointed out that Russia’s aggression, as of 2014, when Putin’s forces attached to Crimea, developed with presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden and during Trump’s first mandate and “nobody stopped him.”
“What kind of diplomacy, JD, are you talking? What do you mean?” Zelenskyy said.
Vance demanded to know if Zelensky said “thanks” once during the meeting. In fact, before the Tempers exploded, Zelenskyy thanked Trump for the invitation and previously expressed his gratitude several times for the support of the United States throughout the war.
“Mr. President, with respect, I think it is disrespectful for you to enter the Oval office and try to litigate this in front of the US media,” Vance told Zelenskyy. “At this time, you are making recruits in the front line because you have labor problems. You should thank the president for trying to put an end to this conflict.”
Vice President JD Vance speaks while attending a meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, on February 28, 2025.
Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool/EPA-EFE/ShuttersTock
Zelenskyy tried to intervene to ask Vance if he has ever been in Ukraine to see destruction.
“First, during the war, everyone has problems, even you. But you have a good ocean and you don’t feel now, but you will feel it in the future,” he told Vance.
Trump then jumped again to join Vance to punish Zelenskyy. “Don’t tell us what we are going to feel,” Trump told Zelenskyy. “We are trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we are going to feel.”
Zelenskyy calls Putin a “terrorist”
Before the explosion among the leaders, Zelenskyy had hard words for Putin.
“I really have your strong position to stop Putin,” Zelenskyy told Trump. “And you said enough with war. I think it is very important to say these words to Putin at the beginning, at the beginning of the war, because he is a murderer and terrorist. But I hope we can stop him together.”
The comments come in the midst of the radical change in the foreign policy of the United States that saw the United States celebrate peace conversations with Russian counterparts. Trump has called Zelenskyy a “dictator”, but has refused to call Putin the same. On Thursday, Trump said he trusts in Putin to “keep his word” if an agreement is reached.
President Donald Trump meets with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, on February 28, 2025.
Saul Loeb/AFP through Getty Images
On Friday, Trump said he was not “aligned” with Putin.
“I am not aligned with Putin. I am not aligned with anyone. I am aligned with the United States of America and for the good of the world. I am alive with the world and I want to end this,” Trump said.
But then it seemed to suggest that Zelenskyy was a great obstacle in the negotiations: “Do you see the hatred for Putin? It is very difficult for me to make a deal with that kind of hatred.”
