President Volodymyr Zelensky is participating in one of the most important meetings of his life as he hopes to convince Donald Trump to extend the US agreement to defend Ukraine
Donald Trump calls Zelenskyy ‘disrespectful’ during meeting
Donald Trump has accused Volodymyr Zelensky of being “disrespectful” and “gambling with World War 3” in a fraught Oval Office meeting this afternoon.
A crunch meeting between the two nations descended into a shouting match between the US President, Mr Zelensky, and Vice President JD Vance, who asked the Ukrainian President to act “thankful” today as Mr Zelensky arrived in the White House to sign a deal over the country’s supply allowing the US to plunder Ukrainian rare earth supplies.
The Ukrainian President became the third world leader to visit Mr Trump in the White House this week when he sat down with his US counterpart, but his has become the most consequential of the three. While Emmanuel Macron and Sir Keir Starmer hoped to preserve old allegiances, Mr Zelensky is mounting a desperate bid for the survival of his nation.
But he, Mr Trump, and Mr Vance butted heads after the Ukrainian President called for a peace deal that would stop “killer” Vladimir Putin. A furious Mr Trump told Mr Zelensky in front of gathered members of the press: “You’re not winning this…you have to be thankful…we gave you $350 Billion…”
Vance, in return, added: “Offer some words of appreciation for the president trying to save your country.” Neither Mr Trump nor JD Vance have visited Ukraine since taking office last month, and have not secured with Mr Vance suggesting he understood what was going on in Ukraine from “news reports”.
Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump’s relationship hasn’t gotten off to the best of starts, with the Ukrainian President lightly criticising the Commander-in-Chief for being trapped in a “misinformation bubble” after he parroted pro-Russian talking points following a conversation with Vladimir Putin.
Mr Trump hit back a week later on his social media platform Truth Social, calling Mr Zelensky a “dictator without elections”, causing international outcry, and suggested the almost universally beloved US ally had “done a terrible job”. The US President has attempted to walk back his statement this week, however, while in conversation with Sir Keir Starmer, and the situation appeared to be looking up.
The President was asked on Thursday whether he still believed “Zelensky is a dictator” by Brit journalists joining Sir Keir at the White House. He responded: “Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that. Next question.”
But in their latest, and televised official first-person interaction, he appeared to confuse Joe Biden for Barack Obama, and claimed Ukraine doesn’t “have the cards”. Mr Trump said: “I gave you the Javelins to take out all those tanks. Obama gave you sheets. You don’t have the cards. With us, you have the cards, but without us you don’t have any cards.”
