On February 28, a scheduled meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House escalated into a heated confrontation. The two leaders clashed over critical issues, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and a proposed agreement granting the US access to Ukraine’s rare-earth minerals.
During the meeting, President Trump accused President Zelensky of disrespecting the United States and warned that Ukraine was “gambling with World War III.” He emphasized the need for Ukraine to make concessions to Russia to achieve peace, suggesting that without such compromises, US support could diminish.
President Zelensky, in response, rejected the notion of compromising with Russian President Vladimir Putin, labeling him a “killer.” He expressed concerns about any peace agreement that might favor Russia or compromise Ukraine’s security. He also questioned Putin’s ability to keep to a ceasefire agreement, considering previous “deals” broken by Russia. Trump suggested that he, Trump, commanded more respect from Putin than prior presidents. He also tried to correct Zelensky on the year Russia took Crimea, claiming it was 2015, not 2014, before realizing his mistake and saying “I wasn’t here then.”
The meeting, initially intended to finalize an economic agreement to aid Ukraine’s reconstruction, ended abruptly without a joint press conference. President Trump stated that President Zelensky could return “when he is ready for peace.”
Watch the full exchange here:
