Trump-Zelenskyy talks cut short after heated exchanges in Oval Office – summary
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the White House has been cut short after he got into a heated exchange with US president Donald Trump and vice-president JD Vance, who accused him of “disrespectful” behaviour during their talks in the Oval Office.
In a social media update, Trump said he has determined that Zelenskyy “is not ready for peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations”, and said the Ukrainian leader “disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office”. “He can come back when he is ready for peace,” he added.
In their earlier talks, Trump repeatedly told Zelenskyy that he was “gambling with the lives of millions, with the third world war”, and telling him to stop holding out for further security guarantees saying “you’re either going to make a deal or we are out”.
Trump appeared to mask differences by drawing false equivalence between the two sides of the war and positioning himself “for both Ukraine and Russia” as he pursues a peace deal, in stark contrast to Zelenskyy’s comments about Putin as a “killer” and “terrorist” who invaded Ukraine, and with whom he was not ready to compromise on the Ukrainian territory.
The pair repeatedly clashed over their view of Russia and the negotiations, as well as the extent of the European support for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy has left the White House moments ago, with the press conference between the two leaders, where they were expected to sign a deal on minerals, also cancelled.
Zelenskyy and Trump meeting descends into heated argument in front of the press – video
Dear @ZelenskyyUa, dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone.
Jakub Krupa
Zelenskyy was scheduled to speak at the Hudson Institute later today – let’s see if he keeps that appointment after his White House visit was cut short.
He is also expected in London for further talks with European leaders on Sunday, where he will give them a completely unfiltered report from talks with Trump.
We can only imagine what he is going to say.
Trump-Zelenskyy talks cut short after heated exchanges in Oval Office – summary
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the White House has been cut short after he got into a heated exchange with US president Donald Trump and vice-president JD Vance, who accused him of “disrespectful” behaviour during their talks in the Oval Office.
In a social media update, Trump said he has determined that Zelenskyy “is not ready for peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations”, and said the Ukrainian leader “disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office”. “He can come back when he is ready for peace,” he added.
In their earlier talks, Trump repeatedly told Zelenskyy that he was “gambling with the lives of millions, with the third world war”, and telling him to stop holding out for further security guarantees saying “you’re either going to make a deal or we are out”.
Trump appeared to mask differences by drawing false equivalence between the two sides of the war and positioning himself “for both Ukraine and Russia” as he pursues a peace deal, in stark contrast to Zelenskyy’s comments about Putin as a “killer” and “terrorist” who invaded Ukraine, and with whom he was not ready to compromise on the Ukrainian territory.
The pair repeatedly clashed over their view of Russia and the negotiations, as well as the extent of the European support for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy has left the White House moments ago, with the press conference between the two leaders, where they were expected to sign a deal on minerals, also cancelled.
Zelenskyy and Trump meeting descends into heated argument in front of the press – video
Zelenskyy leaves White House after visit gets cut short
He was not accompanied by US president Trump to the exit.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy leaves the White House in Washington DC after his talks with US president Donald Trump were abruptly cut after a heated exchange between the leaders. Photograph: Screengrab/Reuters
Heated exchanges between Trump, Zelenskyy and Vance – video
Zelenskyy and Trump meeting descends into heated argument in front of the press – video
Trump-Zelenskyy press conference cancelled with Zelenskyy set to leave early
The joint press conference has been cancelled, the White House said.
A White House source confirmed to Reuters that the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is leaving the White House early.
This comes after the heated talks earlier, and an update from US president Donald Trump saying that Zelenskyy was “not ready for peace.”
Zelenskyy’s car is now waiting outside for his departure.
Zelenskyy ‘disrespected the US’ and ‘not ready for peace,’ Trump says
In a sign of how badly the talks went, US president Donald Trump has just posted a social media update saying that he has determined that 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 says.
He then says Zelenskyy “disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office.”
“He can come back when he is ready for peace,” he ends.
We are committed to Nato, Trump says, but they need to step up
Talking about the US involvement in Nato, Trump repeatedly praised Poland for “stepping up” and “doing a great job for Nato” by “paying more than they had to.”
They are one of the finest groups of people I’ve ever known. I’m very committed to Poland. Poland’s in a tough neighborhood.
Asked for further guarantees for the broader alliance, he goes on to say:
We’re committed. We’re going to be very committed, and we’re committed to Nato. But Nato has to step up, and the Europeans have to step up more than they have.
Putin hates Ukrainians, Zelenskyy says
Zelenskyy repeatedly warned that any deal without security guarantees would not be enough.
When we speak about security guarantees, when the Europeans are ready for contingents, they need USA backstop. If there will not be United States [troops], we will not have any contingent.
He explained why:
Putin will never stop and will go further and further. He hates us.
You know, it’s not about me. He hates Ukrainians. He thinks that we are not a nation. He thinks and he shared this with, I think maybe with your team also, I don’t know, but with all the Europeans in media, officially and not, he always said that there is no such country, such nation, such language and such life like Ukrainian.
No, he really doesn’t respect all the Ukrainians, and he wants to destroy us.
Mineral deal not enough, we need security guarantees, Zelenskyy says
In an bizarre follow-up, Trump later praises Zelenskyy’s clothes, saying they are “beautiful”.
Trump also got asked about security guarantees and said the focus was on the US having “workers there, digging, digging, digging, … taking the raw earth so that we can create a lot of great product in htis country.”
I don’t think you’re going to need much security. I think once this deal gets done, it’s over. Russia is not going to want to go back, and nobody’s going to want to go back.
But Zelenskyy wasn’t convinced, saying Putin broke ceasefires and agreements with other countries 25 times.
“That is why we will never accept just a ceasefire. It will not work without security guarantees. … This document is not enough, strong army is enough, because his soldiers are afraid,” he said.
In a particularly bizarre exchange with an US reporter, Zelenskyy was asked why he is not dressed in a suit, but his trademark military clothes.
Why don’t you wear a suit? You’re the highest level office in this country, and you refuse to wear a suit.
When he retorts by pointing he has other problems with the war, the reporter comes back saying “a lot of Americans have problems, with you not respecting office.”
Zelenskyy strikes back:
I will wear [a suit] after this war will finish. Yes, maybe, maybe something like yours, maybe some something better. I don’t know, we will see.
Zelenskyy also replied to Trump’s repeated comments about people dying in the war, saying:
The President speaks about the people and the soldiers which are dying, but they came to our territory. They came to our land. They began this war, and they have to stop.
Withdraw these enemies, our enemy. Withdraw these troops from our land.
Trump was also asked about compromises, and he said:
I think you’re going to have to always make compromises. You can’t do any deals without compromises. So certainly he’s going to have to make some compromises, but hopefully they won’t be as big as some people think you’re going to have to make. So that’s all we can do.
I’m here as a as an arbitrator, as a mediator, to a certain extent, between two parties that have been very hostile.
He then says that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was “headed in the wrong direction,” and “you know, this could lead to a third world war.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a statement after leaving the White House following a heated meeting with President Donald Trump.On Friday (28 February
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Trump took to Truth Social, the social media platform he owns, to say "Zelensky disrespected the US in its cherished Oval Office", external."I have determined t
Donald Trump has warned Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the US could cut off military aid and said that Ukraine was “gambling with world war three” in a disastrous