Zelenskyy leaves White House without signing minerals deal after tense Oval Office meeting
In a tense Oval Office meeting Friday, President Donald Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy he was 바카라 게임 웹사이트disrespectful바카라 게임 웹사이트 and then abruptly called off the signing of a minerals deal with the U.S. that Trump said would have moved Ukraine closer to ending its war with Russia.
The astonishing turn of events could scramble affairs in Europe and around the globe. During his visit with Trump, Zelenskyy was expected to sign the deal allowing the U.S. greater access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals and hold a joint news conference, but that plan was scrapped after the heated engagement between the leaders in front of the news media.
It's unclear what the blowup could mean for the deal that Trump insisted was essential to repay the U.S. for the more than $180 billion in American aid sent to Kyiv since the start of the war. And it remains to be seen what, if anything, Trump wants Zelenskyy to do to get the deal back on track.
The Ukrainian leader left the White House shortly after Trump shouted at him, showing open disdain. Untouched salad plates and other lunch items were being packed up outside the Cabinet room, where the lunch between Trump and Zelenskyy and their delegations was supposed to have taken place.
The White House said the Ukrainian delegation was told to leave.
바카라 게임 웹사이트You바카라 게임 웹사이트re gambling with World War III, and what you바카라 게임 웹사이트re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that바카라 게임 웹사이트s backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have,바카라 게임 웹사이트 Trump told Zelenskyy.
Watch the full meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy below:
The last 10 minutes of the nearly 45-minute meeting devolved into a tense back and forth between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Zelenskyy, who had urged skepticism about Russia바카라 게임 웹사이트s commitment to diplomacy, citing Moscow바카라 게임 웹사이트s years of broken commitments on the global stage.
Zelenskyy바카라 게임 웹사이트s main objective going into the sit-down had been to press Trump not to abandon his country and to warn against moving too closely to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Instead he got shouted at while Trump appeared to play up the drama for the cameras.
At one point, Zelenskyy said Putin had broken 바카라 게임 웹사이트his own signature바카라 게임 웹사이트 25 times on ceasefires and other agreements and could not be trusted. Trump responded that Putin had not broken agreements with him and mostly ducked questions about offering security guarantees to Ukraine, saying he thought the minerals deal 바카라 게임 웹사이트 which is now on-hold 바카라 게임 웹사이트 would effectively end the fighting.
Things first got testy after Vance challenged Zelenskyy, telling him, 바카라 게임 웹사이트Mr. President, with respect, I think it바카라 게임 웹사이트s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.바카라 게임 웹사이트 Zelensky tried to object, prompting Trump to raise his voice and say, 바카라 게임 웹사이트You바카라 게임 웹사이트re gambling with the lives of millions of people.바카라 게임 웹사이트
At another point, Trump declared himself 바카라 게임 웹사이트in the middle" and not on the side of either Ukraine or Russia in the conflict. He went on to deride Zelenskyy's 바카라 게임 웹사이트hatred바카라 게임 웹사이트 for Putin as a roadblock to peace.
바카라 게임 웹사이트You see the hatred he바카라 게임 웹사이트s got for Putin,바카라 게임 웹사이트 Trump said. 바카라 게임 웹사이트That바카라 게임 웹사이트s very tough for me to make a deal with that kind of hate."
Trump later told reporters, shortly before departing for his Mar-a-Lago resort in South Florida for the weekend, that he wanted an 바카라 게임 웹사이트immediate ceasefire바카라 게임 웹사이트 between Russia and Ukraine but expressed doubt that Zelenskyy was ready to make peace.
Following the meeting, Trump posted on his social media site that he had 바카라 게임 웹사이트determined바카라 게임 웹사이트 that Zelenskyy 바카라 게임 웹사이트is not ready for Peace.바카라 게임 웹사이트
바카라 게임 웹사이트He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace,바카라 게임 웹사이트 Trump wrote.
Democrats immediately criticized the administration for the breakdown. Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer said Trump and Vance 바카라 게임 웹사이트are doing Putin바카라 게임 웹사이트s dirty work.바카라 게임 웹사이트
The testy discussion was especially surprising since it came a day after Trump struck a more conciliatory tone toward Ukraine, calling America바카라 게임 웹사이트s support for the country against Russia바카라 게임 웹사이트s invasion and disclaiming any memory that he had called the Ukrainian leader a 바카라 게임 웹사이트dictator.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Trump and Zelenskyy spoke politely, even with admiration, of each another for the first half hour of the meeting. But, when the Ukrainian leader raised alarm about trusting any promises from Putin to end the fighting, Vance offered his strong rebuke for airing disagreements with Trump in public.
That instantly shifted the tenor of the conversation as Zelenskyy grew defensive and Trump and his vice president blasted him as ungrateful and issued stark warnings about future American support.
바카라 게임 웹사이트It바카라 게임 웹사이트s going to be a very hard thing to do business like this,바카라 게임 웹사이트 Trump said to Zelenskyy as the two leaders talked over each other about past international support for Ukraine.
Vance then interjected, 바카라 게임 웹사이트Again, just say thank you.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Zelenskyy pushed back on Vance, telling him he's offered his appreciation 바카라 게임 웹사이트a lot of times" to the American people and the president. The Ukrainian leader after leaving the White House expressed his gratitude on social media.
바카라 게임 웹사이트Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit,바카라 게임 웹사이트 Zelenskyy wrote. 바카라 게임 웹사이트Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.바카라 게임 웹사이트
But administration officials were not satisfied with Zelenskyy and perceived a 바카라 게임 웹사이트hostility바카라 게임 웹사이트 with him and his body language in the Oval Office, according to a White House official. Trump also objected to the Ukrainian leader bringing up the issue of security guarantees when Trump made clear he wanted to focus on the minerals deal, said the official who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
Former President Joe Biden had also grown frustrated at moments with Zelenskyy for being insufficiently grateful of American support, according to former administration officials. But unlike Trump, Biden expressed his displeasure with Zelenskyy privately.
Trump also suggested that Zelenskyy should not be demanding concessions.
"You바카라 게임 웹사이트re not in a good position. You don바카라 게임 웹사이트t have the cards right now,바카라 게임 웹사이트 Trump said pointing his finger toward Zelenskyy.
Shortly before the meeting ended, Trump said, 바카라 게임 웹사이트This is going to be great television.바카라 게임 웹사이트
As Ukrainian forces hold out against slow but steady advances by Russia바카라 게임 웹사이트s larger and better-equipped army, leaders in Kyiv have sought to ensure any potential U.S.-brokered peace plan would include guarantees for the country바카라 게임 웹사이트s future security.
Many Ukrainians fear that a hastily negotiated peace 바카라 게임 웹사이트 especially one that makes too many concessions to Russian demands 바카라 게임 웹사이트 would allow Moscow to rearm and consolidate its forces for a future invasion after current hostilities cease.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally who has advocated to keep up American support for Ukraine, told Fox 온라인 바카라 게임 he wasn't confident that the Trump-Zelenskyy relationship could be repaired.
바카라 게임 웹사이트I don바카라 게임 웹사이트t know if you can ever do a deal with Zelenskyy anymore,바카라 게임 웹사이트 the South Carolina Republican said.
Video above: Trump and UK Prime Minister meet to discuss Ukraine war
Fears that Trump could broker a peace deal with Russia that is unfavorable to Ukraine have been amplified by recent precedent-busting actions by his administration.
Trump held a lengthy phone call with Putin, and U.S. officials met with their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia without inviting European or Ukrainian leaders 바카라 게임 웹사이트 both dramatic breaks with previous U.S. policy to isolate Putin over his invasion.
Trump later seemed to falsely blame Ukraine for starting the war and called Zelenskyy a 바카라 게임 웹사이트dictator바카라 게임 웹사이트 for not holding elections after the end of his regular term last year, though Ukrainian law prohibits elections while martial law is in place. European leaders were quick reinforce their support for Ukraine in the wake of the contentious Oval Office meeting.
European leaders were quick to reiterate their support for Zelenskyy and Ukraine.
In a post on X, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Zelenskyy's 바카라 게임 웹사이트dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people."
바카라 게임 웹사이트Be strong, be brave, be fearless,바카라 게임 웹사이트 she added. "You are never alone, dear President.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Italian Prime Minister proposed 바카라 게임 웹사이트an immediate summit바카라 게임 웹사이트 between the United States and European allies 바카라 게임 웹사이트to speak frankly about how we intend to face today바카라 게임 웹사이트s great challenges, starting with Ukraine.바카라 게임 웹사이트
바카라 게임 웹사이트Every division of the West makes us all weaker and favors those who would like to see the decline of our civilization,바카라 게임 웹사이트 she said. 바카라 게임 웹사이트A division would not benefit anyone.바카라 게임 웹사이트
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Associated Press writers Justin Spike in Kyiv, Stephanie Dazio in Berlin, Giada Zampano in Rome, JJ Cooper in Phoenix, and Michelle L. Price in New York contributed to this report.
