- By Ajeet Kumar
- Fri, 28 Feb 2025 11:34 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
White House: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump clashed repeatedly on Friday, with Zelenskyy urging Trump to be cautious with Russia and Trump accusing him of being disrespectful, as simmering differences spilled into the open. The two leaders met in the Oval Office prior to an event at which they were expected to sign a deal for US participation in Ukraine's mineral industry. But Zelenskyy openly challenged Trump over his softer approach toward Russian President Vladimir Putin.
#WATCH | Washington, DC: US President Donald Trump says, "If I did not align myself with both of them, you are never going to have a deal...I am not aligned with Putin. I am not aligned with anybody, I am aligned with the United States of America and for the good of the… pic.twitter.com/grW55cafXm
— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2025
You are gambling with world war 3: Trump
.@VP: "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?"@POTUS: "You don't have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards ... You're… pic.twitter.com/iTYyAmfuCJ
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 28, 2025
Zelenskyy pushed back on Trump's claims that Ukrainian cities have been reduced to rubble by three years of war. Trump stressed that Putin wants to make a deal. "You are gambling with World War Three," Trump told Zelenskiy at one point, urging him to be more thankful.
Vice President JD Vance interjected that it was disrespectful of him to come to the Oval Office to litigate his position, a point Trump agreed with. "People are dying ... you're running low on soldiers," Trump told Zelenskyy as their meeting degenerated into a shouting match.
Either make a deal or we are out: Trump
Trump told Zelenskyy he either needed to make a deal or the United States was out. Zelenskyy urged Trump to make "no compromises with a killer," referring to Russia's leader. Zelenskyy, who gained billions of dollars' worth of US weaponry and moral support from the Biden administration for its fight against Russia, is facing a sharply different attitude from Trump.
A Full-Video from the White House, of the Heated-Exchange earlier in the Oval Office between U.S. President Donald J. Trump, Vice-President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. pic.twitter.com/ex4cnLa6ZS
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 28, 2025
Trump wants to quickly wind down the three-year war, improve ties with Russia and recoup money spent to support Ukraine.
Earlier, Trump welcomed Zelenskyy on his arrival at the White House before they headed for talks, lunch and then a joint press conference where they were to sign the agreement. "I hope I'm going to be remembered as a peacemaker," Trump said. Trump told Zelenskyy that his soldiers have been unbelievably brave and that the United States wants to see an end to the fighting and the money put to "different kinds of use like rebuilding."
(With inputs from agency)