A tense Oval Office exchange between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reignited an old but telling revelation—Trump isn’t the first US commander-in-chief to grow frustrated with the wartime leader. A resurfaced NBC News report from 2022 details a fiery phone call between then-President Joe Biden and Zelenskyy, in which Biden allegedly lost his temper, demanding that Ukraine “show a little more gratitude.”
The June 2022 call, made just months after Russia’s full-scale invasion, reportedly turned sour after Biden informed Zelenskyy of another $1 billion in US military aid. Instead of expressing thanks, Zelenskyy immediately began listing more requests—prompting Biden to raise his voice.
“The American people were being quite generous,” Biden reportedly snapped. “Zelenskyy could show a little more gratitude.”
The report, published in November 2022, underscores a recurring theme in US-Ukraine relations: the growing impatience of American leaders who, despite pouring billions into Ukraine’s war effort, have found Zelenskyy’s approach increasingly grating.
History repeats itself in the Trump era
Fast-forward to 2025, and Trump’s handling of Zelenskyy’s latest White House visit appears to be history repeating itself—only this time, the confrontation happened in person. In a dramatic meeting that ended with Zelenskyy being asked to leave, Trump and Vice President JD Vance took turns pressing the Ukrainian leader on his attitude toward US assistance.
“Have you said thank you once this entire meeting?” Vance challenged Zelenskyy, calling out his past visit to Pennsylvania to campaign for Trump’s political opponents.
Tensions escalated further when Trump accused Zelenskyy of “gambling with World War III” and warned that Ukraine must “make a deal” or risk losing US support. The confrontation ended with a visibly frustrated Trump canceling a scheduled press conference with Zelenskyy and scrapping a separate DC, speaking engagement for the Ukrainian president.
The gratitude question
Zelenskyy, facing mounting pressure to acknowledge US support more explicitly, later addressed the controversy in an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier. While he expressed appreciation for American aid, he stopped short of offering an apology.
“No, I respect the president and I respect the American people,” Zelenskyy stated when pressed on whether he owed Trump an apology.
Meanwhile, European leaders, sensing a shift in US support, have begun stepping up their own diplomatic efforts. Over the weekend, Zelenskyy met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss a new peace initiative, with France and the UK now taking the lead in brokering a deal.
Same pattern, different president
As Zelenskyy navigates yet another strained relationship with a US president, one thing is clear: whether it’s Biden or Trump, the world’s most powerful leaders are growing weary of what they see as Ukraine’s endless demands. And with Trump now in office, the consequences of that frustration could be far more immediate—and severe.