A tense meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky quickly devolved into a heated argument, alarming Washington and angering Kyiv while pleasing Moscow. Initially cordial, the discussion turned contentious after Zelensky criticized Vladimir Putin’s aggression against Ukraine. Trump, showing support for Putin, rebuked Zelensky for his remarks, framing them as disrespectful. The exchange escalated, culminating in Trump threatening to abandon Ukraine if it didn’t accept his proposed peace deal with Russia. Trump’s combative approach towards a foreign leader amid ongoing conflict was unprecedented and highlighted his discomfort with Zelensky’s stance against Putin, which he perceived as excessive hostility.
The initial 23 minutes unfolded relatively smoothly, marked by a courteous yet formal exchange between an American president and a foreign counterpart. However, as their differing viewpoints emerged—clearly, though not overly contentiously—the atmosphere shifted significantly after 39 minutes.
The heated exchange that took place in the Oval Office on Friday between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shocked Washington, unsettled Europe, infuriated Kyiv, and pleased Moscow. By the conclusion, the Ukrainian ambassador to Washington had her head buried in her hands, overwhelmed by the situation.
What seemingly irked Mr. Trump the most during this escalating discussion were Mr. Zelensky’s severe criticisms of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. Mr. Trump, who has consistently praised the Kremlin leader, appeared affronted on Putin’s behalf, admonishing Zelensky for being hostile towards the man who invaded his own nation.
“He hates us,” Mr. Zelensky insisted, trying to clarify that Mr. Putin is the aggressor, not the victim. “It’s not about me. He hates Ukrainians. He believes we are not a nation.” Contradicting Mr. Trump’s recent claims that Ukraine was the one to “start” the war, Mr. Zelensky made it clear that the president had the situation backwards. “Putin began this war,” he declared.
Mr. Trump did not agree, instead reprimanding Mr. Zelensky for being unkind. “It’s easy to speak poorly about another person,” Mr. Trump remarked, with evident scorn, “but I want to resolve this.”
Despite being no stranger to disparaging remarks about various individuals—including Mr. Zelensky, whom he had labeled a “dictator” just a week prior—Mr. Trump offered no empathy for the Ukrainian perspective.
“This isn’t a love match,” he stated plainly, indicating that he held Mr. Zelensky responsible. “This is why you’re in this situation.”
A moment later, Mr. Zelensky reiterated Mr. Putin’s involvement in the war, suggesting that Mr. Trump was too beholden to the Russian leader. In response to Mr. Trump’s remark concerning the devastation of Ukrainian cities, Mr. Zelensky countered that they had survived despite relentless Russian bombings.
“Perhaps it’s Putin who is disseminating this falsehood that he has destroyed us,” Mr. Zelensky proposed.
Mr. Trump then defended Mr. Putin. “He endured the Russia hoax,” he stated, referencing the investigation during his initial term concerning Russian meddling in favor of Mr. Trump in the 2016 election. “I believe he wants to strike a deal and is eager for an end.”
In fact, the investigation led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III was decidedly not a hoax and concluded that Mr. Putin had orchestrated an intelligence operation to sway the election eight years prior in favor of Mr. Trump. Although Mr. Mueller noted in his final report in 2019 that “the evidence was not sufficient to support criminal charges,” he made it evident that Mr. Trump’s campaign benefited from Russian help.
The Oval Office meeting quickly devolved into a virtual clash as Vice President JD Vance abandoned formalities to accuse Mr. Zelensky of being “disrespectful” by presenting the Ukrainian perspective on the war and the prerequisites for peace with cameras rolling. Following that, Mr. Vance and Mr. Trump relentlessly criticized Mr. Zelensky for lacking gratitude while he attempted to interject.
Never in recent history has a president engaged in such a furious, scathing confrontation with a visiting foreign leader within the Oval Office. The altercation reached a peak when Mr. Zelensky was warned that if he rejected any peace settlement Mr. Trump brokered with Russia, the United States would abandon Ukraine. This turmoil resulted in Mr. Trump expelling Mr. Zelensky from the White House. The fallout disrupted plans to sign an agreement that would grant the United States rights to Ukrainian rare minerals, a concession Mr. Trump had insisted on as compensation for his support in the conflict.
Mr. Trump often displays anger publicly in ways that other presidents have scarcely done, particularly at rallies or during interviews. Just the other day, he had an outburst directed at the governor of Maine regarding transgender athletes. However, he has never appeared as furious and combative with a foreign guest, especially not with a supposed ally amidst a struggle for his nation’s survival.
The closest comparison might be the few meetings he held with congressional Democrats during his first term, where he clashed with Nancy Pelosi, then the House speaker, and Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic majority leader. In one of those exchanges, Ms. Pelosi famously stood and pointed at him, exclaiming, “All roads with you lead to Putin.”
That said, that previous meeting did not occur in front of cameras, and those discussions never escalated to the extent this one did, especially considering the significant stakes involved.
It’s important to note that Mr. Zelensky is not always the most polished diplomatic operator. He has, at times, frustrated President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his administration, who felt that the Ukrainian leader continually pressed them for more weaponry while failing to express adequate appreciation for their efforts.
Mr. Zelensky lacks the instinct to flatter or defer that allows counterparts such as President Emmanuel Macron of France and Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain to appease the unpredictable Mr. Trump and downplay their differences, as both did during separate meetings at the White House this week. Leading a nation under siege for over a decade, even prior to the full-scale invasion in 2022, Mr. Zelensky exhibits little patience or inclination for diplomatic pleasantries.
Notably, what stood out during their dialogue was Mr. Trump’s apparent offense taken on Mr. Putin’s behalf. He has been an open admirer of Putin and has seldom criticized him. Just this week, he described Mr. Putin as “smart” and “cunning,” refraining from calling him a dictator, despite having labeled Mr. Zelensky as one.
“Do you want me to say truly terrible things about Putin and then turn around and say, ‘Hi, Vladimir, how are we doing on the deal?’” Mr. Trump remarked to Mr. Zelensky on Friday. “It doesn’t function that way.”
He did not clarify why it was acceptable to speak negatively about Mr. Zelensky while seeking a deal. Instead, he portrayed the Ukrainian leader as unreasonably distrustful of Mr. Putin, who has violated numerous agreements ensuring Ukrainian sovereignty and demanding cease-fires, and now faces an international arrest warrant for war crimes.
“You can see the animosity he has towards Putin,” Mr. Trump noted with an air of indignation as cameras captured the exchange. “It’s quite difficult for me to negotiate under that kind of animosity. He harbors an immense hatred. I understand that. But I can assure you the opposing side doesn’t exactly love him either.”
He returned to discussing Mr. Putin and the Russia investigation toward the end of the meeting, describing the Russian leader as if they had forged a bond through shared adversity. “Putin dealt with a tremendous amount during my presidency,” Mr. Trump commented. “He endured a fabricated witch hunt where they exploited him and Russia, Russia, Russia, Russia.”
Mr. Trump’s perceived insult to Mr. Putin clearly lingered in his mind. By the evening, hours after ejecting Mr. Zelensky from the White House, Mr. Trump paused to address reporters as he departed for a weekend in Florida, reiterating his grievances with the Ukrainian president.
“He needs to express a desire for peace,” Mr. Trump asserted. “He doesn’t need to stand there and spew negativity about Putin. Instead, he should declare, ‘I want to make peace.’”