President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance cried out Ukrainian President Volodymie Zelensky on Friday in an explosive television oval office, eventually exploding plans to sign a rare mineral trade, and a dramatic break in relations between their two wartime allies.
Unlike those seen between modern American presidents and foreign leaders, in public conflict, Trump and Vance cast Zelensky for not appreciating enough support for the war with Russia, and sought to fill it with peace agreements on all the terms Americans directed.
As the voices rose and his temper burned, Trump threatened to abandon Ukraine completely if Zelensky didn't go with him. After journalists were escorted from the oval office, Trump cancelled the remaining visits, including a planned joint press conference and a mineral trade signing ceremony. Afterwards, Zelensky, with a stern look on his face, left the West Wing, climbed up the waiting black sports utility vehicle, and left the White House grounds.
“We feel our involvement gives him a great advantage in negotiations, so President Zelensky has decided that he is not ready for peace if America is involved,” Trump wrote on social media. “I don't want any advantage, I want peace. He downplayed the United States in his precious oval office. He can come back when he is ready for peace.”
The White House later sent Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, and Trump's allies, informing reporters that Zelensky should consider resigning. “He needs to step down and send someone that we can do business or he needs to change,” Graham said in his White House driveway.
The conflict left uncertainty, but it provided a major boost to Russian President Vladimir V. Putin.
Even if he cried out to Zelensky on Friday, Trump expressed solidarity with Putin, saying the two of them had been together.
The president's verbal attack on Zelensky was a surprising display of anger and resentment towards the leader of a country that was invaded by greater powers aimed at eliminating it as an independent nation. The memorable president never erupted with foreign leaders visiting in such vituperous ways on camera.
Speaking to Ukrainian leaders, Vance told Zelensky that it was “disrespectful” for him to come to his oval office and make his point in front of American news media, and asked Trump to thank his leader. Trump jumped in and told Ukrainian leaders, “You're not in a really good position right now,” and “You're gambling with World War II.”
“You're going to do a deal or we're going out,” Trump added. “And if we were out, you'd fight it and don't think it would be pretty.”
Vance's enthusiasm to attack Zelensky left many observers wondering if it was planned or an improvised ambush. Vance is not a Ukrainian supporter and said in 2022 he “doesn't really care what will happen in Ukraine.”
It appeared to have caused Trump to join after Vance began chastising Zelensky. But the result was the recent explosion of economic deals that Trump had prioritized, Ukraine's commitment to take over rare mineral rights to repay US military aid over the past three years. The future of the transaction remained unknown.
Zelensky's rush to Washington, and last week he visited Washington to sign that it was intended to smooth out tensions with Trump, who parroted Russia's topic by mistake by claiming that Ukraine had “started” the war and calling Zelensky a “no-election dictator.”
As Zelensky agreed to a mineral trade, Trump appeared ready to make it nice by telling reporters on Thursday that he didn't remember the dictator's comments and that he expressed his respect for the Ukrainian leader. He welcomed Mr. Zelensky along with the Honorary Guards at the door on the West Wing on Friday morning, and they waved politely without any obvious warmth.
However, the encounter quickly became hostile right after the journalist sat in an oval office in attendance. In his usual dark, long-sleeved shirt, Zelensky tried to explain the history of the war with Russia. It noted that in 2014, Moscow first seized Crimea, occupying territory in eastern Ukraine, and continued Trump's first term in office.
He also expressed skepticism of peace efforts that Mr Vance mentioned. “What kind of diplomacy, JD, are you talking?” he asked. “what do you mean?”
“I'm talking about diplomacy that will end the destruction of your country,” Vance replied.
He then began attacking Mr. Zelensky. “I think it would be rude to come to an oval office to try and litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance spoke. “We should thank the President for trying to end this conflict.”
He accused Zelensky of winning a “propaganda tour” in the United States. “Do you think it's respectful to come to the elliptical offices of the United States and attack an administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?”
Zelensky attempts to respond to Vance's claims, saying the US can one day feel threatened by Russia. “You have a lovely ocean, and you don't feel it now, but you'll feel it in the future,” he said.
It sparked Trump, who cut off Zelensky. “You shouldn't tell us what we're trying to feel,” he said, yelling. “You're not in a good position. You don't have a card right now.”
“I'm not a card,” replied Zelensky. “I'm very serious, President. I'm the president of war.”
“You're gambling with World War II,” Trump retorted. “And what you are doing is very rude to this country, to this country.
Mr. Vance is back. “Have this whole meeting ever said 'Thank you'? no. “
Trump's explosion with Zelensky, in contrast to Putin's review, he has long praised him, and has praised him since winning his second term. Just this week, the president called Putin a “very smart guy” and a “very unning man.” He said he believes Putin really wants peace and predicted on Thursday that he would “keep his words up” if the deal was reached despite multiple past violations of Russian agreements.
While he talks to Putin on the phone, he has little sense of how Trump expects to negotiate either a ceasefire or a permanent peace deal. During last year's campaign, he promised to end the war within 24 hours, and even before he took office.
Since taking office, Trump has called for Ukraine to hand over some of its natural resources as a recapture of military aid provided under President Joseph R. Biden Jr. to protect Russia. Trump has repeatedly falsely argued that the US offers only $350 billion and only $100 billion to Europe, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, but Europe has allocated $138 billion compared to $119 billion from the US.
The explosion of the oval office drew criticism from Ukrainian supporters. “Answer to Vance: Zelensky is grateful to our country over and over again, both personally and publicly,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat of Minnesota, said on social media. She was one of the lawmakers who met with Zelensky before visiting the White House.
“And we thank the Ukrainian patriots who confronted him and the dictators, bury themselves, and stop Putin from marching towards the rest of Europe,” she wrote. “shame on you.”
