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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A highly charged meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, February 28, 2025, escalated into a public clash.
As reported by Reuters, Zelenskiy's visit aimed to persuade the United States not to align with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but instead, he faced sharp criticism from Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who accused him of disrespect.
Trump's stance on the war in Ukraine starkly contrasts with his predecessor, Joe Biden. Trump has aligned with Putin since assuming office, a position that has surprised European allies and left Ukraine feeling increasingly vulnerable. The confrontation on Friday marked the most public display of this shift.
Vance stressed the need for diplomatic solutions to the conflict, the largest in Europe since World War II. Zelenskiy, with folded arms, countered that Putin could not be trusted in negotiations and pointed out that Vance had never visited Ukraine.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused Zelenskiy of disrespecting the United States. "I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved," he wrote, using an alternate spelling for the Ukrainian leader's name. "He can come back when he is ready for Peace."
Zelenskiy led the meeting in English, a language not native to him. As the discussion progressed, his voice was often overshadowed by Trump and Vance. "You're not in a good position. You don't have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards," Trump asserted.
"I'm not playing cards, I'm very serious, Mr. President," replied Zelenskiy.
"You're playing cards. You're gambling with the lives of millions of people, you're gambling with World War III," the U.S. president countered.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev appeared to welcome the confrontation, writing on Telegram that Trump had spoken the truth to Zelenskiy, describing the Ukrainian leader's reception in the Oval Office as a "brutal dressing down."
Zelenskiy departed the White House prematurely, without signing a planned agreement between Ukraine and the United States on joint natural resource development.
The clash further undermined efforts by European leaders to secure U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump has refused to deploy U.S. troops to Ukraine. Such guarantees were considered crucial to deter further Russian aggression.
"People are dying, you're running low on soldiers," Trump told Zelenskiy during a frank exchange in front of reporters in the Oval Office.
Trump threatened to withdraw U.S. support from Ukraine. "You're either going to make a deal, or we're out, and if we're out, you'll fight it out. I don't think it's going to be pretty," he said.
"Once we sign that deal, you're in a much better position. But you're not acting at all thankful, and that's not a nice thing. I'll be honest. That's not a nice thing," he added.
Zelenskiy openly challenged Trump's softer approach to Putin, urging him not to compromise with a "killer."
Trump emphasized that Putin wanted to reach a deal. Vance also interjected, stating that Zelenskiy's confrontational approach in the Oval Office was impolite, a sentiment echoed by Trump.
"You didn't say thank you," Vance said. Zelenskiy, raising his voice, replied: "I said a lot of times thank you to American people."
During the three-year war against Russia, Ukraine has received billions of dollars in weapons and moral support from the Biden administration. This contrasts sharply with Trump, who has advocated for a swift end to the war, improved relations with Russia, and a return of the funds spent supporting Ukraine.
"I hope I'm going to be remembered as a peacemaker," Trump said.
Earlier, Trump had acknowledged Zelenskiy's soldiers as "unbelievably brave" and expressed the U.S.' desire to see the conflict end, noting that the funds were intended for rebuilding Ukraine.
The confrontation sparked messages of support for Ukraine from European leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron declared Russia the aggressor, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed solidarity, saying, "Ukraine, Spain stands with you."
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