The much-anticipated meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not go as expected on Friday, following a tense atmosphere marked by a heated argument and criticisms directed at Zelensky by both Trump and Vice President JD Vance. This situation was seen by a Ukrainian official as a "deliberate provocation."
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According to information obtained by the American news outlet Axios, Trump and his senior aides discussed the situation after the verbal exchange with the Ukrainian president. Following this, Trump made the decision that Zelensky "should go on his way." The Ukrainian delegation accompanying Zelensky from Kyiv was forced to wait for about an hour in a separate room while they hoped to finalize a deal regarding the minerals agreement, which was supposed to be the main agenda item of the visit, in an effort to mitigate the damage caused by the tense meeting.
The same outlet clarified that, up until that point, it was still planned for Zelensky and Trump to have lunch and hold a joint press conference. However, all of this evaporated when U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Walters left the Oval Office and went to where Zelensky was seated to inform him that he needed to leave.
As a result of the negative developments, Zelensky’s visit to the White House ended without signing the rare minerals deal and without any guarantees for continued U.S. support to Ukraine. Following this, Trump posted on his social media platform "Truth Social" that Zelensky "is not ready for peace with the United States’ participation," asserting that he had "disrespected" the U.S. in the Oval Office. Trump added that Zelensky "can come back when he is ready for peace."
White House officials confirmed that the tension during the presidential meeting "was not a premeditated trap."
The officials, speaking anonymously, said: "We were planning to sign the minerals deal and begin this economic partnership, moving towards peace." In contrast, a Ukrainian official told ABC News: "We were prepared for a productive meeting, but it was clear they wanted to start a confrontation."
A member of the Ukrainian delegation that participated in the White House talks told the American news network that the Ukrainian side waited in a separate room after the verbal altercation and was ready to continue negotiations.
He also explained that White House staff informed them of the cancellation of the meetings and that they were required to leave.
When asked if he thought Zelensky had been deliberately provoked, the Ukrainian official responded, "Yes, I think so."
The confrontation began when JD Vance made a comment about diplomacy, which Zelensky responded to by asking, "What kind of diplomacy are you talking about?" This angered U.S. Vice President Vance, who replied: "Do you think it is respectful to come to the White House and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country? I think it is inappropriate to come to the Oval Office and try to litigate this matter in front of the American media."
The heated atmosphere escalated further when Zelensky said, "There is a lot of pressure on us, and it might reach you. You might feel it in the future." Trump interrupted him, raising his finger in Zelensky’s face, saying, "You don’t know that. Don’t tell us how we will feel... You are not in a position to dictate that." Trump continued, "You are not in a position to dictate how we will feel... You are in a bad situation. You are letting yourself be in a lower position. We are trying to solve a problem." He added, warning, "Either you reach an agreement, or we will stop (supporting the war). If we stop, you will fight alone to the end." Trump concluded, "You are disrespecting our country. I know you won’t win the war against Russia."
Zelensky's Suit Provokes Trump
On the other hand, Axios revealed some small details that contributed to the charged atmosphere of the meeting between Zelensky and Trump. One small yet not insignificant matter that upset Trump was Zelensky's failure to wear a suit, opting for his usual attire since the war in Ukraine began three years ago. According to sources, Trump’s advisors had informed Zelensky’s team on several occasions that it would be more appropriate for the Ukrainian president to set aside the military-style outfit when visiting the White House.
Zelensky arrived at the Oval Office wearing a black jacket, which appeared more formal, with the Ukrainian national emblem, but no suit. Trump commented on this moment when he shook Zelensky’s hand upon his arrival at the White House’s West Wing entrance, saying, "He’s wearing special clothes today."
After the sharp argument between them, Trump urged Zelensky to make "concessions," while the latter responded that he did not want to do so with "the killer," referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump told reporters while welcoming Zelensky to the Oval Office: "No deal without concessions. So there will certainly need to be concessions, but I hope they won’t be as big as some think." In turn, Zelensky replied that Ukraine would not make "compromises with a killer on our land... whoever started the war must pay the price."
Later, following the altercation, Trump told reporters that Zelensky had "overestimated his capabilities," emphasizing that Zelensky "wants to come back now," but the U.S. president conditioned the resumption of talks on Zelensky declaring his desire for peace, stating that Zelensky "wants to keep fighting, and we won’t keep fighting."
He concluded that the United States "doesn’t want to mess around," adding that he was looking for peace, not a war that lasts ten years. He described his meeting with Zelensky as "not good."
