Trump says Zelensky can 'come back when he's ready for peace' after heated White House exchange
Talks on a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia came to an abrupt halt Friday after a tense meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky led to a canceled news conference, a scrapped minerals deal and Trump asking the Ukrainian president to leave, a White House official confirmed.
Trump accused Zelensky of "disrespecting" the United States during their meeting on Friday and said the Ukrainian leader was not ready to secure peace for his country.
"I have determined that President Zelensky is not ready for peace if the United States is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a great advantage in negotiations," Trump said in a Truth Social post on Friday. "I don't want advantages, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in his precious Oval Office. He can return when he is ready for peace."
Zelensky visited Washington amid negotiations to end the war in Ukraine and was expected to sign a minerals deal that will allow the United States access to Ukraine's minerals in exchange for the support the United States has provided to the country since Russia's invasion in 2022. But things got complicated. After Zelensky said Russian President Vladimir Putin could not be trusted and had reneged on other agreements, Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused Zelensky of being ungrateful for the support the US has given him over the years and said the Ukrainian leader was in a "bad position" at the negotiating table.
"You're playing cards," Trump said. "You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're playing with World War III. And what they're doing is very disrespectful to the country, to this country."
After Vance told Zelensky that Ukraine had personnel and military recruitment problems, Zelensky said the war meant "everyone has problems, including you" and that the U.S. would feel the war "in the future."
"Don't tell us what we're going to feel," Trump responded. "We're trying to solve a problem. Don't tell us what we're going to feel. You're not in a position to dictate that, remember that."
Vance and Zelensky also argued when Vance asked if Zelensky had ever said "thank you" in the entire meeting, leading Zelensky to claim that Vance was speaking "out loud." Trump responded to Zelensky, warning that Ukraine was in "serious trouble."
"Wait a minute," Trump said. "No, no, you've talked too much. Your country is in serious trouble."
Asked whether he believed Trump was on Ukraine's side, Zelensky told reporters in the Oval Office that he believed the United States was on Ukraine's side and reiterated the importance of stopping Putin's aggression.
Zelensky also stressed the importance of Europe's help during the conflict with Russia, prompting Trump to intervene and claim that American contributions were more significant than Europe's. But Zelensky responded by saying that this was not true.
The exact figures for financial aid to Ukraine vary slightly, depending on what is considered aid. However, Congress has allocated $175 billion beginning in 2022 to help Ukraine, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
The Kiel Institute, a German-based think tank, estimates that all European aid to Ukraine between January 2022 and December 2024 amounts to about $138.7 billion, while the United States will provide $119.7 billion over the same period.
After leaving the White House, Zelensky posted a message on social media on X expressing his gratitude to the United States for its support.
"Thank you, America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit," Zelensky said. "Thank you @POTUS, the Congress and the American people. Ukraine needs a just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly to achieve that."