“Trump vs. Zelensky: Political Drama Unfolds on the Global Stage”
WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky,Got into a heated back and forth in the Oval Office of the White House on Friday.
The meeting comes amid heightened tensions after President Trump earlier called the Ukrainian President a “dictator” and blamed him for “starting the war” with Russia.
He however, took back his words a day before the meeting, saying “did I really say that?” and commended Zelensky for his bravery.
WHY WAS ZELENSKY AT WHITE HOUSE?
The agenda of today’s meeting primarily focuses on this minerals deal for the United States in return for Washington’s assurance of providing Kyiv with the security it needs against Russia.
The deal is important as it forms the foundation of future talks on finding a peace deal for the war in Ukraine, which has now been on for more than three years.
The US, which shares the maximum burden among all NATO allies to provide a security cover across Europe, has been calling for all stakeholders to significantly enhance their share of the military and financial burden.
Donald Trump has threatened that he will even consider withdrawing from providing security to Europe should everyone not contribute.
President Trump has said in the past that he does not see any benefit for Washington in staying involved in Ukraine since “Europe has a guarantee on what it has spent on Ukraine, but the US does not”.
Amid all this, European leaders, with President Zelensky’s willingness, suggested that Ukraine do a minerals deal with Washington, so that US also has a way of getting back what it is spending in Ukraine – both in terms of security as well as in helping rebuild Ukraine after the war.
European leaders believe that this will keep the US invested in Ukraine, automatically providing for Kyiv’s security.
Before the meeting began, President Zelensky had said that “I think President Trump is on our side”.
He also told the US President that the US protecting Ukraine from Russian threats was “absolutely crucial” for peacekeepers.
Donald Trump said that “a truce with Russia is fairly close” and that the deal allowing US access to Ukraine’s natural resources is “very fair”.
As the talks began, Ukraine’s President Zelensky urged Donald Trump that during peace talks “there should be no compromises with a killer on our territory”, in an apparent reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin,
But President Trump made it amply clear that “Ukraine will have to make compromises in a truce with Russia.”
Answering a question, Trump said, “I hope I am going to be remembered as a peacemaker.
This would be a great thing if we could do this (find a resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war). I am doing this to save lives, more than anything else.
Second is to save a lot of money, but I consider that to be far less important.”
Minutes into the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, a verbal clash broke out
between the two leaders at the Oval Office.
In a loud and stern voice, President Trump told Mr Zelensky that you “either make a deal or we are out”.
“You are in big trouble…you are not winning this,” he said.
President Zelensky responded in equal measure, saying that “We in our own country, and we have stayed strong all this time. We have even thanked you for it (your support)”.
But an extraordinary shouting match ensued between the two leaders as the international media watched in utter disbelief.
“I’m afraid dealing this way is going to make things very difficult,” said President Trump as hopes for a peace deal in Ukraine hung in the balance.
“You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War Three, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to this country,” Donald Trump added.
The argument extended to the US Vice President as well, when Zelensky asked him not to “talk loudly”.
US Vice President JD Vance told President Zelensky that “diplomacy was needed” to end the war, but Mr Zelensky hit back saying “what kind of diplomacy?”
Mr Vance then accused him of being “disrespectful” in the president’s office.
