Minutes into the meeting at the White House, US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy broke into a verbal spat, media reports said. Zelenskyy left the White House early after an angry meeting while Trump asked him to “come back when you’re ready for peace”.
In a loud and stern voice, President Trump reportedly told Zelenskyy that you “either make a deal or we are out”.
“You are in big trouble…you are not winning this,” he said before the media.
According to video footage of a press appearance circulating, Zelenskyy, US Vice-President JD Vance and Trump were caught in verbal exchanges.
While Vance accused the Ukraine president of being “disrespectful”, Trump said he is “gambling with World War Three”.
President Zelenskyy responded in equal measure, saying: “We are in our own country, and we have stayed strong all this time. We have even thanked you for it (your support)”.
While Zelenskyy left the meeting after the heated exchange, Trump said Zelensky can come back to the White House “when he is ready for peace.”
The meeting devolved into a shouting match, according to CNN.
Zelenskyy Not Ready For Peace: Trump
Later in a social media statement, Trump said: “We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE.
He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
Mineral Deal Not Signed
U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy did not sign a minerals deal on Friday, a White House official told Reuters.
Trump has not ruled out an agreement, but not until Ukraine is ready to have a constructive conversation, a senior U.S. official said. It was up to the Ukrainians if the leaders’ canceled joint news conference could be rescheduled while Zelenskiy remained in the U.S., the official said.
Zelenskyy met US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington DC on Friday to discuss a minerals deal for the United States as part of the ongoing negotiations for a possible truce in the Ukraine war.
The meeting came amid escalated tensions after President Trump called Zelenskyy a “dictator” and blamed him for starting the war with Russia.
However, the US President took back his words a day before the meeting and commended him for his bravery.
As the talks began, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy reportedly urged Donald Trump that during peace talks “there should be no compromises with a killer on our territory”, in an apparent reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However, President Trump made it clear that “Ukraine will have to make compromises in a truce with Russia”, said reports.
Before the commencement of the meeting, Zelenskyy told the media that, “I think President Trump is on our side.”
The agenda of Friday’s meeting primarily was on a minerals deal for the United States in return for the US’s assurance of providing Kyiv with the security it needs against Russia.
The deal is important as it forms the foundation of future talks on finding a peace deal for the war in Ukraine, which has been continuing for more than three years now.
(With inputs from IBNS and Reuters)
