Zelenskyy leaves White House without signing minerals deal after tense Oval Office meeting
In a tense Oval Office meeting Friday, President Donald Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy he was 맥스카지노disrespectful맥스카지노 and then abruptly called off the signing of a minerals deal with the U.S. that Trump said would have moved Ukraine closer to ending its war with Russia.
The astonishing turn of events could scramble affairs in Europe and around the globe. During his visit with Trump, Zelenskyy was expected to sign the deal allowing the U.S. greater access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals and hold a joint news conference, but that plan was scrapped after the heated engagement between the leaders in front of the news media.
It's unclear what the blowup could mean for the deal that Trump insisted was essential to repay the U.S. for the more than $180 billion in American aid sent to Kyiv since the start of the war. And it remains to be seen what, if anything, Trump wants Zelenskyy to do to get the deal back on track.
The Ukrainian leader left the White House shortly after Trump shouted at him, showing open disdain. Untouched salad plates and other lunch items were being packed up outside the Cabinet room, where the lunch between Trump and Zelenskyy and their delegations was supposed to have taken place.
The White House said the Ukrainian delegation was told to leave.
맥스카지노You맥스카지노re gambling with World War III, and what you맥스카지노re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that맥스카지노s backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have,맥스카지노 Trump told Zelenskyy.
Watch the full meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy below:
The last 10 minutes of the nearly 45-minute meeting devolved into a tense back and forth between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Zelenskyy, who had urged skepticism about Russia맥스카지노s commitment to diplomacy, citing Moscow맥스카지노s years of broken commitments on the global stage.
Zelenskyy맥스카지노s main objective going into the sit-down had been to press Trump not to abandon his country and to warn against moving too closely to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Instead he got shouted at while Trump appeared to play up the drama for the cameras.
At one point, Zelenskyy said Putin had broken 맥스카지노his own signature맥스카지노 25 times on ceasefires and other agreements and could not be trusted. Trump responded that Putin had not broken agreements with him and mostly ducked questions about offering security guarantees to Ukraine, saying he thought the minerals deal 맥스카지노 which is now on-hold 맥스카지노 would effectively end the fighting.
Things first got testy after Vance challenged Zelenskyy, telling him, 맥스카지노Mr. President, with respect, I think it맥스카지노s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.맥스카지노 Zelensky tried to object, prompting Trump to raise his voice and say, 맥스카지노You맥스카지노re gambling with the lives of millions of people.맥스카지노
At another point, Trump declared himself 맥스카지노in the middle" and not on the side of either Ukraine or Russia in the conflict. He went on to deride Zelenskyy's 맥스카지노hatred맥스카지노 for Putin as a roadblock to peace.
맥스카지노You see the hatred he맥스카지노s got for Putin,맥스카지노 Trump said. 맥스카지노That맥스카지노s very tough for me to make a deal with that kind of hate."
Trump later told reporters, shortly before departing for his Mar-a-Lago resort in South Florida for the weekend, that he wanted an 맥스카지노immediate ceasefire맥스카지노 between Russia and Ukraine but expressed doubt that Zelenskyy was ready to make peace.
Following the meeting, Trump posted on his social media site that he had 맥스카지노determined맥스카지노 that Zelenskyy 맥스카지노is not ready for Peace.맥스카지노
맥스카지노He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace,맥스카지노 Trump wrote.
Democrats immediately criticized the administration for the breakdown. Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer said Trump and Vance 맥스카지노are doing Putin맥스카지노s dirty work.맥스카지노
The testy discussion was especially surprising since it came a day after Trump struck a more conciliatory tone toward Ukraine, calling America맥스카지노s support for the country against Russia맥스카지노s invasion and disclaiming any memory that he had called the Ukrainian leader a 맥스카지노dictator.맥스카지노
Trump and Zelenskyy spoke politely, even with admiration, of each another for the first half hour of the meeting. But, when the Ukrainian leader raised alarm about trusting any promises from Putin to end the fighting, Vance offered his strong rebuke for airing disagreements with Trump in public.
That instantly shifted the tenor of the conversation as Zelenskyy grew defensive and Trump and his vice president blasted him as ungrateful and issued stark warnings about future American support.
맥스카지노It맥스카지노s going to be a very hard thing to do business like this,맥스카지노 Trump said to Zelenskyy as the two leaders talked over each other about past international support for Ukraine.
Vance then interjected, 맥스카지노Again, just say thank you.맥스카지노
Zelenskyy pushed back on Vance, telling him he's offered his appreciation 맥스카지노a lot of times" to the American people and the president. The Ukrainian leader after leaving the White House expressed his gratitude on social media.
맥스카지노Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit,맥스카지노 Zelenskyy wrote. 맥스카지노Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.맥스카지노
But administration officials were not satisfied with Zelenskyy and perceived a 맥스카지노hostility맥스카지노 with him and his body language in the Oval Office, according to a White House official. Trump also objected to the Ukrainian leader bringing up the issue of security guarantees when Trump made clear he wanted to focus on the minerals deal, said the official who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
Former President Joe Biden had also grown frustrated at moments with Zelenskyy for being insufficiently grateful of American support, according to former administration officials. But unlike Trump, Biden expressed his displeasure with Zelenskyy privately.
Trump also suggested that Zelenskyy should not be demanding concessions.
"You맥스카지노re not in a good position. You don맥스카지노t have the cards right now,맥스카지노 Trump said pointing his finger toward Zelenskyy.
Shortly before the meeting ended, Trump said, 맥스카지노This is going to be great television.맥스카지노
As Ukrainian forces hold out against slow but steady advances by Russia맥스카지노s larger and better-equipped army, leaders in Kyiv have sought to ensure any potential U.S.-brokered peace plan would include guarantees for the country맥스카지노s future security.
Many Ukrainians fear that a hastily negotiated peace 맥스카지노 especially one that makes too many concessions to Russian demands 맥스카지노 would allow Moscow to rearm and consolidate its forces for a future invasion after current hostilities cease.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally who has advocated to keep up American support for Ukraine, told Fox News he wasn't confident that the Trump-Zelenskyy relationship could be repaired.
맥스카지노I don맥스카지노t know if you can ever do a deal with Zelenskyy anymore,맥스카지노 the South Carolina Republican said.
Video above: Trump and UK Prime Minister meet to discuss Ukraine war
Fears that Trump could broker a peace deal with Russia that is unfavorable to Ukraine have been amplified by recent precedent-busting actions by his administration.
Trump held a lengthy phone call with Putin, and U.S. officials met with their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia without inviting European or Ukrainian leaders 맥스카지노 both dramatic breaks with previous U.S. policy to isolate Putin over his invasion.
Trump later seemed to falsely blame Ukraine for starting the war and called Zelenskyy a 맥스카지노dictator맥스카지노 for not holding elections after the end of his regular term last year, though Ukrainian law prohibits elections while martial law is in place. European leaders were quick reinforce their support for Ukraine in the wake of the contentious Oval Office meeting.
European leaders were quick to reiterate their support for Zelenskyy and Ukraine.
In a post on X, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Zelenskyy's 맥스카지노dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people."
맥스카지노Be strong, be brave, be fearless,맥스카지노 she added. "You are never alone, dear President.맥스카지노
Italian Prime Minister proposed 맥스카지노an immediate summit맥스카지노 between the United States and European allies 맥스카지노to speak frankly about how we intend to face today맥스카지노s great challenges, starting with Ukraine.맥스카지노
맥스카지노Every division of the West makes us all weaker and favors those who would like to see the decline of our civilization,맥스카지노 she said. 맥스카지노A division would not benefit anyone.맥스카지노
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Associated Press writers Justin Spike in Kyiv, Stephanie Dazio in Berlin, Giada Zampano in Rome, JJ Cooper in Phoenix, and Michelle L. Price in New York contributed to this report.
