President Trump tore into Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following a heated argument in the Oval Office on Friday, saying the Kyiv leader had “disrespected the United States of America.”
Trump and Zelensky had been scheduled to give a joint presser at 1 p.m. following the signing of a framework mineral agreement, but the pre-planned arrangements were blown up by a shouting match involving Trump, Zelensky and Vice President JD Vance.
“We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy [sic] is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
Shortly after Trump’s message went out, The Post confirmed the scheduled press conference had been canceled. A grim-faced Zelensky left the West Wing at 1:42 p.m., two hours and 20 minutes after he arrived.
JD Vance and Trump just put Zelensky in his place. Wow. Watch this.
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 28, 2025
The president’s message was endorsed by other members of his administration. The White House communications office blasted Trump’s Truth out to journalists on its listserv — while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cheered, “Amen, Mr. President” on X.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also fell in line with Trump, thanking the president for his response to Zelensky and “standing up” for America.
The US Ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink, went so far as to translate Rubio’s post into Ukrainian before sending it out on X.
Trump and Zelensky were set to sign a deal that would have created a joint US-Ukraine fund investing in extracting the country’s rare-earth mineral supply. Trump had been attempting to get the Ukrainian leader to ink the agreement for weeks, even sending Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to Kyiv to make it happen.
Zelensky rejected the initial deal but the two countries had gotten to an agreement on a revised draft, with the Ukrainian leader coming to Washington ostensibly to sign off on the final copy.
Instead, the framework was not signed and Trump “wanted Zelensky to leave” after the shouting match, a White House spokesperson told The Post.
The Oval Office meeting began with warm exchanges and handshakes, with Trump at one point saying of Zelensky: “I think he’s a great guy.”
But matters took an ugly turn after Zelensky attempted to explain Russian President Vladimir Putin’s lack of diplomacy to Vance.
The vice president accused Zelensky of “litigating” in front of the world’s press, criticized him for taking part in photo-ops with Democrats during the 2024 campaign, and said his remarks were “disrespectful” to the administration.
“Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems, you should be thanking the president for wanting to bring an end to the conflict,” Vance said sternly.
Trump then jumped in after Zelensky asked Vance to come to Ukraine, because he will “feel” things.
“We’re trying to solve a problem,” the president said. “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel … You are 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.”
A US source familiar with the discussions insisted that the reaction by Vance to Zelensky’s comment “wasn’t pre-planned.”
Zelensky tweeted out in the hour after leaving the White House, saying “thank you” to America — seemingly addressing Vance’s critique.
“Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you [POTUS], Congress, and the American people,” he wrote. “Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.”
