An Oval Office meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy turned into a heated argument after both Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused the Ukrainian leader of being ungrateful.
Both sides were meant to sign a natural resources deal on Feb. 28, but that was called off after the open clash during which the U.S. leaders took issue with Zelenkyy’s public insistence for security guarantees.
Vance, responding to Zelenskyy said, “It’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.”
Trump said that Ukraine is “not in a very good position,” telling Zelenskyy, “You don’t have the cards right now with us.”
“You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III,” Trump said.
The vice president then accused the Ukraine leader of being ungrateful, asking him, “Have you said thank you once this entire meeting?”
Trump also waded into the argument, warning Zelenskyy that he was in a tough spot in the negotiations and was risking losing U.S. support entirely.
“You’re either going to make a deal or we’re out,” Trump said.
Trump said a deal between the United States and Ukraine could put Zelenskyy in a better negotiating position, but chided the Ukrainian leader, saying, “You’re acting at all thankful.”
The president then ordered the press out of the Oval Office.
Deal Called Off
After meeting behind closed doors, Trump indicated in a Truth Social post minutes later that Zelenskyy “is not ready for Peace if America is involved.”
“He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace,” Trump added.
The White House later confirmed that no deal was signed and a planned joint press conference in the afternoon was called off. Zelenskyy has left the White House.
Trump has sought to negotiate a quick end to the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war. He has positioned the deal for access to Ukraine’s minerals as a way to recoup some of the funds the United States has already contributed to Ukraine’s war effort.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy has been adamant that a deal for Ukraine’s natural resources should include additional security guarantees from the United States.
Earlier in the Oval Office meeting, Trump downplayed the importance of new security guarantees.
“Security is so easy. That’s about 2 percent of the problem. I’m not worried about security. I’m worried about getting the deal done. The security is the easy part,” Trump said.
Trump said Ukraine could potentially see additional U.S. weapons shipments, but indicated he’s focused on ending the conflict rather than continuing to sustain Kyiv in a fight.
“Hopefully I won’t have to send very much, because hopefully we’re going to have it finished,” Trump said.
Zelenskyy responded moments later, insisting that a deal ought to include more concrete security guarantees.
“We will never accept just a ceasefire,” the Ukrainian leader said.
Earlier this week Trump said he expects Zelenskyy will have to make concessions to Russia, as part of the final deal to bring an end to the fighting between the two countries.
When asked what concessions Ukraine would likely have to make, Trump said: “I don’t want to tell you right now, but I can tell you that NATO you can forget about. That’s been, I think—that’s probably the reason the whole thing started.”
Moscow has always regarded Ukrainian membership of the NATO alliance as an unacceptable threat.
Ahead of the White House visit, Zelenskyy said he also hoped to discuss whether the U.S. plans to halt its military aid to Ukraine and, if so, whether Kyiv would be permitted to directly purchase U.S. weapons.
He said he also wanted to know whether Ukraine would be allowed to use frozen Russian assets to buy weapons and whether Washington would lift the sanctions currently in place on Moscow.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
