Trump, Zelenskiy Devolve Into Bickering Before Deal Signing

President Donald Trump’s meeting Friday with Volodymyr Zelenskiy quickly devolved into a testy exchange, with the Ukrainian leader casting doubt on the likelihood US efforts to broker a deal with Russia would yield lasting peace.

The effort by Zelenskiy inspired an angry response from Trump and US Vice President JD Vance, who suggested his criticism — delivered in the Oval Office — was disrespectful and that his absolutist view toward Moscow was inhibiting negotiations that could end the bloody three-year war.

“It’s going to be very hard to do business like this,” Trump said, telling Zelenskiy, adding that he was not sure Zelenskiy could make a deal. “You’ve got to be more thankful, because let me tell you, you don’t have the cards. With us, you have the cards, but without us you don’t have any cards.”

“You’re gambling with World War III, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country,” the US president added.

The sharp encounter quickly overshadowed what was supposed to be a moment of unity between the leaders, who are set to sign an agreement later Friday allowing the US to unlock future revenue from developing Ukraine’s natural resources.

Trump had touted the agreement as a major commitment from the US to Ukraine as he initially welcomed Zelenskiy to the White House for a high-stakes meeting with stark implications for the fight to repel Russia’s invasion and for European allies worried about US commitments to collective security.

“It’s a pathway to peace. It’s a pathway to getting something solved,” Trump said.

Still, the deal fails to offer the explicit security guarantees Zelenskiy had wanted, instead focusing on the economic partnership between the US and Ukraine. 

Zelenskiy told Trump that Russian President Vladimir Putin had repeatedly violated previous ceasefire agreements and that Ukraine would never accept a simple ceasefire to conclude the war. He insisted to Trump that the mineral deal was not enough to ensure Ukraine’s security.

“Putin will never stop and will go further and further,” Zelenskiy said, adding that the Russian leader “hates Ukrainians” and wanted to destroy the country. “We can do it, but it’s not enough,” he added of the deal.

The underlying tension between the leaders was obvious. Trump had his eyes closed and was tapping his fingers as Zelenskiy stressed his concerns about Putin reneging on an agreement. When Trump downplayed the threat of a future attack, the Ukrainian leader shook his head.

“I’m in the middle. I want to solve this thing. I’m for both,” Trump insisted. “I want to get it solved. And it’s wonderful to speak badly about somebody else, but I want to get it solved.”

Then, the meeting exploded when Vance, sitting nearby, criticized Zelenskiy’s approach.

“Do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that’s trying to prevent the destruction of your country?” Vance asked.

Trump said Zelenskiy had “tremendous hatred” for Putin and suggested that the anger could be inhibiting a deal, while also defending his warm relations with the Russian leader as more likely to yield results.

“I could be tougher than any human being you’ve ever seen. I’d be so tough, but you’re never going to get it done that way,” Trump said.

Trump has cast the natural resources deal as necessary to reimburse American taxpayers for their support of Kyiv and as a critical step toward brokering a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

The US president originally called the deal an “exciting moment” and said funds from the deal could also be used for artificial intelligence and military weapons. He reiterated that he would continue military sales to Ukraine.

“We don’t know exactly how much because we’re going to be putting some money in a fund that we’re going to get from the raw Earth that we’re going to be taking and sharing in terms of revenues, so it’s going to be a lot of money,” he said.

Still, Trump has downplayed calls for more explicit security guarantees, suggesting that the economic ties between Ukraine and the US would suffice to deter Putin from further aggression.

“I think once we make the agreement, that’s going to be 95% of it, it’s not going to go back to fighting,” Trump said. “I’ve spoken with President Putin, and I think, I mean, I feel very strong. I’ve known him for a long time, and I feel very strongly that they’re very serious about it.”

“I’m not worried about security, I’m worried about getting the deal done,” the president added.

Trump is racing ahead to negotiate an end to the three-year war directly with Putin, leaving Kyiv and European allies fearful that the US will cement Moscow’s battlefield gains and abandon Ukraine’s security entirely.

Zelenskiy’s visit caps a dramatic week that saw both French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visit Washington to push Trump to offer US support for a European for a “backstop” to protect Ukraine from further attacks. 

France and the UK have discussed deploying a peacekeeping force but any such initiative will require US assistance, but Trump has declined to provide any assurances of US support and cast it as an issue for Europe to deal with. The US president has also pressured allies to contribute more to collective security.