A defiant Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fended off an “ambush” from President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office on Friday after they demanded that the Ukrainian leader show more appreciation for U.S. wartime support.
A shouting match between the men broke out after Vance berated Zelensky for his lack of public thanks to the Trump administration and for not happily backing any peace deal the U.S. dictates.
Vance told Zelensky it was “disrespectful” of him to travel to Washington and demand more than just a ceasefire—including, for instance, a prisoner swap—in front of American reporters, adding that he should instead be “thanking the president.”
Zelensky tried to refute Vance’s claim that he was ungrateful, but an irate Trump jumped in and also turned on Zelensky—refusing to let him get a word in.
“We’re trying to solve a problem,” said Trump, who called Zelensky a “dictator” last week. “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel because you’re in no position to dictate that. You’re in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel. We’re going to feel very good. We’re going to feel very good and very strong. You’re right now, not in a very good position. You’ve allowed yourself to be in a very bad position. You’re not in a good position. You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards ...
“You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III; you’re gambling with World War III. What you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country, that has backed you far more than many people say they should have.”
Zelensky remained composed and tried to push back on Trump’s claims, but was drowned out by the president until Vance, yet again, chimed in to admonish Zelensky for supposedly being ungrateful.
“Have you said thank you once this entire meeting?” Vance asked.
Zelensky, trying to keep order, responded to Vance: “Please, you think that if you will speak very loudly about the war ... ” Trump cut him off again.
“Your country is in big trouble. No, no, you’ve done a lot of talking,” Trump said, refusing to let Zelensky speak. “Your country is in big trouble. You’re not winning this.”
Zelensky, with a hand on his chest requesting a moment to speak, was finally given a brief chance to respond. He refused to match the tone and tenor of his American counterparts, despite being repeatedly spoken over and asserting he was thankful.
“Mr. President, we are staying in our country—staying strong from the very beginning of the war. We have been alone. I have said thanks in this cabinet. I have said thanks ... ”
Trump cut Zelensky off again and began melting down. He raised his voice even louder and repeatedly said Ukraine would have been trounced in weeks without U.S. military equipment.
“We gave you, through this stupid president, $350 billion,” Trump yelled, referring to former President Joe Biden. “We gave you military equipment ... If you didn’t have our military equipment, this war would have been in over in two weeks.”
Zelensky responded, “Yeah, in three days, I heard it from Putin.”
Trump proceeded to criticize Zelensky for not signing a minerals deal that would see a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Zelensky said Putin had ignored ceasefires in the past, like when he invaded Ukraine in 2022, and that more was needed.
Oksana Serhiyivna Markarova, the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S., had placed her head in her hands by this point. The meeting wrapped up shortly after, with Zelensky leaving the White House without taking questions or signing a peace deal.
Trump issued a statement shortly after that maintained the fiery stance he took in the Oval Office, adding that Zelensky should not return to Washington until he is ready to sign a deal.
Trump said in his statement that Zelensky had “disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office” by pressing for more than just a ceasefire.
The president added, “Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It’s amazing what comes out through emotion.”
The fiery encounter drew mixed reactions on the right. In Russia, however, many of its officials were reveling in how divided Zelensky was with Trump and Vance. The former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev wrote on X: “The insolent pig finally got a proper slap down in the Oval Office. And @realDonaldTrump is right: The Kiev regime is “gambling with WWIII.”
