U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly erupted at Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, abruptly sending him out of the White House after a heated Oval Office confrontation over peace negotiations with Russia.
The unexpected clash cut short what was supposed to be a diplomatic meeting between Ukraine and the U.S. It also led to the cancellation of a crucial minerals deal that was part of a potential U.S.-brokered post-war recovery plan.
Tense Exchange in the Oval Office
During the meeting, Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused Zelensky of not showing enough gratitude for U.S. support in Ukraine’s three-year war against Russia. Trump warned Zelensky that without U.S. aid, Ukraine would have already fallen to Russia.
“You don’t have the cards right now,” Trump reportedly told him. “You’re either going to make a deal, or we’re out. And if we’re out, you’ll have to fight it out—and I don’t think it’s going to be pretty.”
Following the confrontation, Zelensky left the White House, and Trump later posted on social media that the Ukrainian president could return “when he is ready for peace.”
Global Reactions and Fallout
The fallout from the meeting was immediate. A planned joint press conference was canceled, and reports surfaced that senior Trump officials had directly instructed Zelensky to leave.
U.S. allies in Europe, concerned that Trump might pressure Ukraine into an unfavorable deal with Russia, quickly rallied behind Zelensky.
- “You are not alone,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk assured him.
- “Ukraine, Spain stands with you,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated.
- Germany also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression.
In Washington, Democratic lawmakers condemned Trump’s handling of the situation. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused him and Vance of “doing Putin’s dirty work.”
Meanwhile, Russian officials celebrated the fallout, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova remarking on what she called “a miracle of restraint” from Trump and Vance.
The Dispute Over Peace Talks
The heated exchange reportedly stemmed from Trump’s insistence that Ukraine must make “compromises” in any peace deal with Russia, which has occupied large parts of Ukrainian territory since its full-scale invasion in 2022.
However, Zelensky pushed back, showing Trump images of war atrocities and stating, “There can be no compromises with a killer on our territory.”
When Zelensky pointed out that previous Western-backed peace deals had failed to prevent Russia from expanding its control over Ukraine, Vance allegedly interrupted angrily, calling him “disrespectful.”
From that point, the meeting descended into Trump and Vance loudly berating the Ukrainian leader in front of U.S. and international media.
Trump’s Ties to Putin and Policy Shift
Trump’s stance on Ukraine has alarmed Kyiv and European allies. While the U.S. has been a key supporter of Ukraine’s defense, Trump has positioned himself as a mediator between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In the Oval Office meeting, Trump admitted to speaking with Putin “on numerous occasions” beyond what has been publicly reported. He also repeated his claim that a truce between Ukraine and Russia was “fairly close.”
Although Trump had previously expressed “respect” for Zelensky, his latest comments reflect a stark policy shift. Just last week, he referred to the Ukrainian leader as a “dictator”—echoing Russian propaganda. He has also stated that he trusts Putin “to keep his word” on a potential ceasefire.
Continued Fighting on the Ground
As diplomatic tensions escalated, fighting in Ukraine continued. On Friday, Russian forces launched new attacks near the Ukrainian border from the Kursk region, an area where Ukrainian troops had previously made gains.
With uncertainty surrounding U.S. support, Ukraine now faces mounting pressure both on the battlefield and in international diplomacy.
