ALWAGHT- Following a heated argument, Trump instructed his aides to remove Ukraine's president from the White House.
During a tense meeting at the White House, US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky engaged in a heated argument, leading to Zelensky’s abrupt departure. Initially, the leaders were scheduled for a lunch and joint press conference, but the discussion quickly turned hostile. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance criticized Zelensky for his approach to diplomacy with Russia, while Zelensky refused to acknowledge their concerns. Trump also took issue with Zelensky’s choice of military-style attire, which he considered disrespectful. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later defended Trump’s stance, stating that the confrontation exposed the challenges the administration faced in negotiations with Ukraine.
Following the clash, Trump deliberated with his aides while the Ukrainian delegation waited in another room. Eventually, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz informed Zelensky’s team that their visit was over. Trump also canceled the signing of a rare earth minerals deal that had already been ratified by the Ukrainian government, signaling a major setback for Kyiv. In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused Zelensky of disrespecting the US and suggested that discussions could resume only when Zelensky was serious about peace. The fallout left Ukraine without new agreements or assurances of continued US military and financial support.
Zelensky later refused to apologize for the confrontation, despite calls from European diplomats and US officials like Rubio, who labeled the meeting a "fiasco." Rubio urged Zelensky to take responsibility for the situation, arguing that his approach jeopardized US-Ukraine relations. Meanwhile, Trump reiterated his desire for a ceasefire in Ukraine and insisted that Zelensky was prolonging the war rather than seeking peace. He claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was also willing to negotiate and warned that without US support, Ukraine’s chances of victory were slim. Despite the failed talks, Rubio expressed hope that a pragmatic reset in US-Ukraine relations could still be achieved.
