Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a heated exchange unlike any before during a press conference with the US for a meeting with President Donald Trump in the White House on Friday as the two met to discuss a pending bilateral security pact.
Zelensky showed the American leader photos of some of the injured civilians and soldiers of Russia’s full-scale invasion so far before they accepted questions from reporters, and the talks became more testy.
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The Ukrainian leader called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “killer” and a “terrorist,” emphasizing that Putin needs to pay for the crimes he has committed against his country.
US Vice President J.D. Vance turned up the pressure when he interjected to tell Zelensky he was being “disrespectful” for the way he was speaking to Trump in the White House.
“Do you think that it is respectful to come to the Oval Office of the USA and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?” Vance asked the Ukrainian president.
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“During war, everybody has problems, even you, but you have a nice ocean [between you] now,” Zelensky said. “You don’t feel it now, but you will feel it in the future,” Zelensky replied. “[Thank god] you do not have war.”
Trump interrupted Zelensky to say: “You don’t know that. You don’t know that. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.”
“Because you’re in no position to dictate that,” Trump said, adding we would feel “good and “strong.” The two leaders began talking over each other with raised voices.
“You don’t have the cards right now,” Trump said.
“We’re not playing cards right now, I am very serious,” Zelensky responded.
Trump repeated the false claims that the US has paid over $350 billion in military support to Ukraine, an inaccuracy disputed publicly during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit earlier this week.
Trump told reporters he is squarely “in the middle” of the negotiations – not on the side of either Ukraine or Russia in the ongoing war that the world knows was unequivocally started by Putin.
He continued to say that he “is aligned with no one,” before backtracking and saying he is “aligned with the world.”
When asked if he feels that the United States is still on Ukraine’s side, Zelensky said that he believes “the United States has been on our side from the very beginning,” while Trump dismissed the question as a “stupid one,” adding that if that weren’t the case, the meeting wouldn’t be happening.
“I think that President Trump is on our side, and I’m sure that the United States and the President won’t stop their support. This is crucial for us,” Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian president explained the history of Russia’s aggression in the region, clarifying that Russia first launched its recent invasion of Ukraine in 2014, not 2016.
Zelensky also contradicted the US president that the US had provided a higher level of support than Europe, simply saying “no” to the claim in the following exchange:
Zelensky: Really, we can help Europe, because Europe really helped… President Trump said they [offered] less support, but they are our friends and very supportive partners… They really gave a lot, Mr President.
Trump: Really? Maybe they did, but they gave much less.
Zelensky: No.
Trump: Much less.
Zelensky: No.
Trump: … less …
Zelensky: No.
Trump: Okay (waves hand).
The American president continued, saying this “could end up as the Third World War,” again claiming that it would have never started if he were in office.
When asked about security guarantees, Trump once again avoided giving a clear answer.
“I don’t want to talk about security yet, because I want to get the deal done... you fall into the same trap like everyone else,” Trump said. “Security is so easy – that’s about 2% of the problem. I’m not worried about security, I’m worried about getting the deal done.”
He also repeated that Ukraine does not need further security guarantees because the current deal will be good enough.
“I don’t think you’re going to need much security, I think once this deal gets done, it’s over. Russia’s not going to want to go back.”
“You’re not going to need security,” Trump added.
“We will never accept just a ceasefire, it will not work without security guarantees,” Zelensky said in response, adding that Russia had already broken at least 25 such ceasefire agreements.
Trump addressed Zelensky directly at the end of the meeting:
The problem is, I’ve empowered you to be a tough guy, and I don’t think you’d be a tough guy without the United States. And your people are very brave.
But you’re either going to make a deal or we are out and if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty, but you’ll fight it out.
You don’t have the cards, but once we sign that deal. You’re in a much better position [with the deal], but you’re not acting at all thankful and that’s not a nice thing. I’ll be honest. He then wraps the meeting up. will bring you more news lines soon.
“This is going to be great television,” Trump said at the conclusion of the press conference.
A journalist asked Zelensky why he doesn’t wear a suit, to which the president glibly replied that he would swap out his military garb for more formal wear when the war was over in his country.
Background
The two leaders had met after weeks of discussions regarding a potential agreement that would see Ukraine’s mineral resources exchanged for continued American military support, but the negotiations had been fraught with uncertainty.
Zelensky’s trip came on the eve of Trump walking back comments he’d made days earlier calling the Ukraine president a “dictator” for not holding elections during the war – which is prohibited by the constitution in Ukraine. Trump had said he didn’t remember making the comments he’d made on social media.
Details of the bilateral security deal were shared earlier this week and reportedly stipulate that Kyiv agree to allocate 50% of future revenues generated from minerals, hydrocarbons, oil, natural gas, and other extractive materials to a joint US-Ukraine fund in the new minerals deal with the US.
Although Zelensky had insisted that there be at least “one sentence” in the agreement that directly refers to the US providing meaningful security guarantees to Ukraine, it is still unclear how this would be included.
Initial drafts of the deal reportedly asked for much bigger concessions from Ukraine, including up to $500 billion in future profits from the country’s mineral assets.
At Trump’s first official cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Trump said that Ukraine was Europe’s responsibility and that security promises from the US were unnecessary because having American economic interests in the region would be enough to repel future attacks.
“Well, I’m not going to make security guarantees beyond... we’re gonna have Europe do that... ’cause Europe is their next-door neighbor,” Trump had said. “Nobody’s going to mess around with our people when we’re there.”
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