Donald Trump’s week of promising talks with foreign leaders came to a crushing close today after Volodymyr Zelensky was ejected from the White House – without a deal for Ukraine
Donald Trump calls Zelenskyy ‘disrespectful’ during meeting
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky’s crunch White House talks descended into chaos this evening in a stunning spectacle Mr Trump boasted would make “good TV” – Mirror.co.uk has compiled six of the most bizarre moments from the meeting.
Mr Zelensky arrived in the US this afternoon planning to sign a rare minerals deal with Mr Trump that was already facing roadblocks, with the two world leaders clashing over its parameters. But even that failed to materialise and the Ukrainian premier is now on his way home after the meeting and planned press conference afterwards completely fell through.
Ukraine now has no deal at all after Mr Trump and his Vice President JD Vance ganged up on and appeared to “bully” Mr Zelensky on live television, with the two dubbing the wartime leader “disrespectful” for what they perceived as a failure to thank them for their aid. The moment was one of several that grabbed attentions this evening, with controversy exploding the moment the two men met.
Some of the most bizarre moments from today’s meeting included:
1. Zelensky was asked why he doesn’t wear a suit
Mr Zelensky appeared in his usual fatigues while meeting with Mr Trump today, an outfit he has sported during every meeting with a foreign leader since the war with Russia began. Mr Trump sarcastically said he is “all dressed up” when he was awkwardly caught on mic as the two men met this afternoon.
It is traditional that leaders fighting a war not wear suits during diplomatic events, with Sir Winston Churchill famously wearing his “siren suit”, an air raid suit, during a White House meeting at the height of World War Two in 1942. Mr Zelensky teased that he would wear a suit once the war is over, although one “not as expensive” as Mr Trump’s.
2. Zelensky slammed as ‘disrespectful’ and told to thank Trump as Vance intervenes
An incensed JD Vance joined the conversation with Donald Trump and Mr Zelensky insisting that the Ukrainian leader thank his boss, adding it was “disrespectful” of him to try and “litigate” his case for the US media. He said: “Mr President, with respect. I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media right now.”
Mr Trump told him he was “gambling with World War III”, adding: “You’ve got to be more thankful…You don’t have the cards.”
3. Zelensky has to interrupt to answer ‘serious’ question
As Trump dominates journalists’ attention Trump referenced Zelensky’s clothes again, prompting a question about how he was dressed. Mr Zelensky dodged the question, instead choosing to respond to a “serious” question about security guarantees for his country.
He said: “I will answer on one more serious question if I can, so please… about security guarantees and about ceasefire. We can’t just speak about ceasesfire and speak and speak…”
4. Trump touts shared bond with Vladimir Putin
Mr Trump appeared to suggest he and Vladimir Putin shared a bond during the press conference, saying Putin “respects” him and that he and the Russian despot “went through a hell of a lot”. Speaking about previous broken peace deals, Mr Trump said: “They didn’t respect [former President Barack] Obama. They respect me.”
Mr Trump later moved on to speak about what he termed a “witch hunt” and allegations he had colluded with the Russian state to win the presidential election in 2016. He said: “Let me tell you, Putin went through a hell of a lot with me. He went through a phony witch hunt where they used him and Russia, Russia, Russia.”
5. Zelensky is turfed from the Oval Office
An unexpected end to the meeting – which was supposed to conclude with a press briefing – came when Mr Trump turfed the Ukrainian delegation from the White House, claiming Mr Zelensky was “not ready for Peace”. He wrote on his social media platform Truth Social: “We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today.
“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.”
6. Trump says meeting will make ‘great television’
Toward the end of the filmed meeting, Donald Trump turned to the journalists and cameras in the room, telling them: “This is going to make great television” as the meeting broke down.
It came after Trump and Zelensky’s relationship went through a rollercoaster of emotions, from joking about with each other like a pantomime duo, to shouting over each other and wagging fingers. The White House communications team quickly clipped videos of the exchange and shared them on social media. Several Trump aides did so as well.
“President Trump and Vice President Vance will always stand for America and those who respect our position in the world. America will never be taken advantage of,” said Margo Martin, a special assistant to the president who shared one of the videos. “Thank you @POTUS for standing up not only for America, but for the American warfighter,” the Defense Department’s rapid response account posted on X.
