White House talks break down as Trump accuses Zelenskyy of ‘disrespecting’ US
White House talks between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy over ending the war between Moscow and Kyiv have broken down after the US president said his Ukrainian counterpart had “disrespected” America.
The dramatic and premature conclusion to the summit came after the two leaders clashed even before the start of their formal meeting, as the Ukrainian president’s bid to improve strained ties with Washington spectacularly backfired.
In a post on Truth Social following the meeting, Trump wrote: “I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace.”
“He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace,” he added.
During an earlier meeting in front of reporters in the Oval Office, Trump told Zelenskyy: “You don’t have the cards right now with us, you start having problems right now. You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with world war three.”
Vice-president JD Vance said: “Do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?”
The Ukrainian leader responded: “Everybody has problems, even you but you have nice ocean and don’t feel [it] now, but you will feel it in the future.”
Zelenskyy has been seeking a seat at the negotiating table after Trump blindsided Kyiv and other European capitals by launching direct talks with Putin over ending the conflict.
The leaders had planned to use the meeting to sign a minerals deal that would set up a joint US-Ukrainian “investment fund” that would receive 50 per cent of all revenues from the “future monetisation” of natural resources owned by Kyiv.
I watched this train wreck. Didn't try to transcribe, so I might have small errors. Essence first, emotions later.
Trump:
Zelensky:
Vance:
Opinion:
A carefully orchestrated verbal agression by Trump and Vance. Zelensky was not given opportunity to present his point of view, which is very rare in diplomacy (this probably isn't diplomacy). He's in the damn White House, he's not going to shout.
Result:
Zelensky walked away without signing the mineral resources treaty. Fully understandable for bystanders. Foreseeable by Trump - perhaps the goal of this tirade.
If I heard right trump said at one point he didn't know what was going on with the whole ukraine war situation.
I don't believe he would utter such truth.
Good writeup but I really want to emphasize this:
That likely is going to be the angle putin wants pushed and it has been there from the start. Many people won't remember, but in the days before the war started there were plenty of voices (on both sides) insisting that nobody should help Ukraine because it might cause WW3. Same with the calls for a no fly zone in the following weeks.
It wasn't explicitly said (by anyone but the most compromised of republicans and tankies...), but it was very heavily implied that Ukraine needed to die so that "we" didn't have WW3. And I fully expect those to ramp up from all sides because...
the US doesn't want to help Ukraine because putin doesn't want us to.
And Europe is going to be consolidating forces and getting ready for the next invasions on EU territory.
The World War 3 comment is all on Trump. He is the one who said it and he is the one using it as a threat in a "negotiation".
He (probably) won't start it himself, but he just gave Putin the green light to do so.
NATO without USA can still kick Russias ass if they decide to attack other European countries, but if China gets involved, then USA will have to come out from the corner that Trump just painted USA into.
I like that you think Trump and Babs could carefully coordinate anything, they just shouted him down.