US PRESIDENT Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy clashed repeatedly on Friday (February 28), with Zelenskiy urging Trump to be cautious with Russia and Trump accusing him of being disrespectful, as simmering differences spilled into the open.
Watch the encounter here.
How it all went wrong in the Oval Office
The meeting started smoothly enough.
Trump said it was “an honor” to have Zelenskiy there, that they had known each other a long time and that they had previously had “a little negotiation spat” – he did not go into details about when or where – saying only that it had “worked out great.”
Zelenskiy called Putin a killer and showed Trump photos of what he said Russians had done to Ukrainians. Trump looked at them.
After, Trump talked about how the U.S. needed minerals, and said he had spoken with Putin.
The mood shifts
Just under 20 minutes into the meeting, things started to go south when a reporter asked Zelenskiy why he didn’t wear a suit, which the Ukrainian leader seemed a bit perplexed by.
He then shook his head repeatedly as Trump talked about not needing security guarantees as Russia won’t return to Ukraine after a peace deal.
When Trump joked he liked Zelenskiy’s clothing, Zelenskiy said he wanted to answer questions on more serious topics.
The two leaders then continued to answer questions for another 20 minutes or so, with Zelenskiy stressing the need for Putin to pay for the invasion and Trump saying again that he doesn’t think Russia would invade a second time.
Jd Vance Gets involved
The point it really went downhill is when JD Vance got involved.
Vance criticised the Biden administration’s approach to peace and said Trump was using diplomacy to get Russia on board.
Zelenskiy challenged Vance, outlining the ways Russia broke diplomatic agreements since it occupied parts of Ukraine in 2014.
“Nobody stopped him,” he said. “What kind of diplomacy JD, you are speaking about?”
Vance countered by saying. “I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media.”
He accused Zelenskiy of bringing people on a “propaganda tour,” of the conflict.
Things escalate
The final 10 minutes of the meeting became very heated.
Zelenskiy says the U.S. doesn’t feel the impact of Russia now because it has a “nice ocean” in between, but warns they will feel it in the future.
This riles Trump, who says “don’t tell us what we’re gonna feel.”
The two increasingly talked over each other.
Trump: “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.”
Zelenskiy: “I’m not playing cards.”
Trump: “You’re playing cards. You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War Three. You’re gambling with World War Three, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country, that’s backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have.”
Things then worsen when JD Vance chimed in again, interrupting to ask Zelenskiy if he has said thank you once in the entire meeting.
Vance: “Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America.”
Zelenskiy tried to speak multiple times, but Trump cut him off, saying he had already done a lot of talking.
Trump: “Your country is in big trouble.”
Zelenskiy: “I know, I know.”
Trump: “You are not winning this. You have a damn good chance of coming out ok because of us.”
Zelenskiy: “From the very beginning of the war, we’ve been alone, and we are thankful.”
Trump then said if Ukraine didn’t have U.S. military equipment this war would have been over in two weeks.
Vance then interrupted and told Zelenskiy to say thank you, accept there were disagreements and discuss the agreements in private “rather than trying to fight it out in the American media when you’re wrong. We know that you’re wrong.”
Zelenskiy said he has said thank you a lot of times to the American people.
Trump: “I think it is good for the American people to see what is going on. I think it is very important. That is why I kept this going so long.”
Trump does an impression of Zelenskiy, saying he doesn’t want a ceasefire.
Trump: “You saying you don’t want a ceasefire?”
Zelenskiy then brings up the issue of U.S security guarantees.
Zelenskiy: “Of course we want to stop the war … but I said to you, where’s guarantees?”
Trump then said his administration had given Ukraine better military equipment than Biden did.
Trump: “You gotta be more thankful because let me tell you don’t have the cards. With us you have the cards but without us you don’t have any cards.”
A few minutes later, about 50 minutes after the meeting started, Trump moved to wrap up the appearance in front of the media, saying “I think we have seen enough”, before adding that “this is going to be great television”.
Reuters
