Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump openly clashed in the White House on Friday at a meeting where they were due to sign a deal on sharing Ukraine’s mineral riches and discuss a peace deal with Russia. US President gave an ultimatum saying, “make a deal or we are out.”
“Your people are very brave, but you’re either going to make a deal or we’re out, and if we’re out, you’ll fight it out,” Trump said in the White House in a dramatic verbal clash.
“I don’t think it’s going to be pretty, but you’ll fight it out, but you don’t have the cards.”
“You’re not acting at all thankful. It’s not a nice thing,” the US president said. “It’s going to be very hard to do business like this,” he added.
The encounter began when Vance addressed Zelenskyy, stating “Mr. President, with respect. I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.”
When Zelenskyy attempted to respond, Trump intervened forcefully, declaring “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people.”
He continued, “You’re gambling with World War III, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have.”
The Oval Office, traditionally a venue for diplomatic discussions, witnessed an unprecedented display of hostility. Trump openly revealed his intentions to secure American interests in Ukraine’s mineral resources and influence the war’s resolution according to his preferences.
During the earlier portion of the meeting, Trump indicated continued military support for Ukraine whilst expressing a preference for limited arms provision. “We’re not looking forward to sending a lot of arms,” he stated. “We’re looking forward to getting the war finished so we can do other things.”
The tension escalated when Vance demanded Zelenskyy to “just say thank you,” criticising him for airing disagreements publicly. Trump appeared unbothered by the confrontation, stating “I think it’s good for the American people to see what’s going on.”
He further remarked, “This is going to be great television.”
This challenging encounter occurred at a crucial time for Ukraine, as Zelenskyy sought to secure American support against potential future Russian aggression.
Despite the confrontation, Zelenskyy is anticipated to finalise a significant economic agreement with the US, focusing on Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, establishing long-term bilateral ties.
The agreement, viewed as progress towards ending the three-year conflict, acknowledges Ukraine’s security concerns.
Before the heated exchange, Trump mentioned the imminent signing ceremony in the White House’s East Room, describing it as “a very fair deal” and “a big commitment from the United States.”
Trump expressed desire to halt the conflict’s casualties, suggesting American funds should be redirected towards reconstruction efforts.
Earlier, Zelenskyy had characterised Russian President Vladimir Putin as a terrorist, asserting to Trump that Ukraine and the global community need “no compromises with a killer.”