A high-stakes Oval Office meeting between US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, 28 February 2025, erupted into a heated confrontation over the ongoing war with Russia.
Watch: Tensions flare in Trump, Vance, Zelensky White House meeting
The meeting, initially intended to discuss a minerals deal, quickly deteriorated into an intense exchange, with Trump and Vance strongly criticising Zelensky’s approach to the war.
At one point, Trump raised his voice, accusing Zelensky of failing to show enough gratitude for US military aid.
“You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people… and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to this country, that’s backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have,” Trump said.
Zelensky defended Ukraine’s position, highlighting Russia’s previous ceasefire violations and territorial annexations.
However, his remarks about the US being geographically shielded from the conflict prompted an immediate rebuke from Trump.
“Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel because you’re in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel,” he shot back.
Vice President Vance also pressed Zelensky, demanding to know if he had even thanked the US for the billions in aid provided.
“If you didn’t have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks,” Trump added.
The tension escalated further when Vance referenced Zelensky’s visit to a Pennsylvania ammunition plant in 2024, which Republicans saw as an endorsement of the Biden administration.
“You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October,” Vance said.
“Offer some words of appreciation for the United States and the president who’s trying to save your country.”
The meeting, which was also set to finalise a $500 billion US-Ukraine minerals deal, ended abruptly.
Trump, who, this week, permanently severed USAID funding to South Africa, later posted on Truth Social, claiming that Zelensky was “not ready for peace” and suggesting that the US may reconsider its support for Ukraine.
With tensions between the two leaders now fully exposed on the world stage, the fallout from this meeting could have significant implications for US-Ukraine relations and the ongoing war effort.
