DONALD Trump launched an attack on Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in front of the world’s media as the two held a press briefing at the White House.
Zelenskyy was visiting Washington DC in a bid to secure US backing in the war against Russia, which was started when Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The Ukrainian and US presidents had been expected to sign a preliminary deal which would share Ukraine’s mineral wealth in exchange for American support against Russian aggression.
However, since taking power, Trump has been vocal in his support for Putin – even falsely saying that Zelenskyy was in fact the dictator who had started the war.
That led the Ukrainian president to make global headlines by stating that Trump lived in a disinformation space created by the Russian regime.
In a heated clash between the two leaders in the White House on Friday, Zelenskyy again appeared to imply that Trump was repeating Putin’s propaganda.
“If you didn’t have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks,” Trump said.
“In three days. I heard it from Putin,” Zelenskyy hit back.
‼️A heated back and forth between @ZelenskyyUa, @POTUS, and @VP now in the Oval. pic.twitter.com/j1YCy4Jm3K
— Misha Komadovsky (@komadovsky) February 28, 2025
The Ukrainian leader warned the US would “feel it in the future” if it did not continue to support his nation against Putin.
“Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem,” Trump responded.
Shouting, Trump later told his Ukrainian counterpart: “You’re gambling with millions of people seeing you gambling with World War Three. You’re gambling with World War Three.”
US vice president JD Vance interrupted to question why Zelenskyy had not said thank you for US aid.
👇Truly shocking scenes. This is game-changing … And confirms - if there was any doubt -how both the trans-Atlantic relationship and indeed our World Order are shifting fast. pic.twitter.com/JysMWWpuLA
— Tobias Ellwood (@Tobias_Ellwood) February 28, 2025
The Ukrainian leader said he had repeatedly thanked the US for its support.
Zelenskyy told Trump that promises of peace from Putin cannot be trusted, noting the Russian leader’s history of broken promises. Trump said Putin has not broken agreements with him.
“You’ve got to be more thankful,” the US president said.
In an extraordinary statement after the exchange, Trump accused the Ukrainian leader of not being ready for peace, and appeared to pull the rug from any proposed deal.
“We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today," Trump said. "Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure.
"It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President 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 disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for peace.”
In his own social media message, Zelenskyy said: "Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people.
"Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that."
Zelenskyy’s delegation had been expected to sign a landmark economic agreement with the US aimed at financing the reconstruction of war-damaged Ukraine, a deal that would have closely tied the two countries together.
As Ukrainian forces hold out against slow but steady advances by Russia’s larger and better-equipped army, leaders in Kyiv have pushed to ensure a potential US-brokered peace plan would include guarantees for the country’s future security.
However, Zelenskyy left the White House on Friday without signing the agreement.
Many Ukrainians fear that a hastily negotiated peace — especially one that makes too many concessions to Russian demands — would allow Moscow to rearm and consolidate its forces for a future invasion after current hostilities cease.
According to the preliminary economic agreement, seen by The Associated Press, the US and Ukraine will establish a co-owned, jointly managed investment fund to which Ukraine will contribute 50% of future revenues from natural resources, including minerals, hydrocarbons and other extractable materials.
A more detailed agreement on establishing the fund will be drawn up if the preliminary one is signed.
If a truce can be reached, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron have said they would send troops for a potential peacekeeping mission to Ukraine to ensure that fighting between Ukraine and Russia does not flare up again.
Both leaders travelled to Washington this week before the Zelenskyy visit to discuss with Trump the potential peacekeeping mission and other concerns about the war.
White House officials are sceptical that Britain and France can assemble enough troops from across Europe, at least at this moment, to deploy a credible peacekeeping mission to Kyiv.
