Mediapersons sat stunned as an extraordinary Oval Office clash ensued between US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Ukrainian President was accused of not being “thankful” for US help in the three-year war. “You don’t have the cards right now,” he said. “You’re either going to make a deal or we’re out, and if we’re out, you’ll fight it out and I don’t think it’s going to be pretty.”
Zelensky left without a minerals deal painted as a significant step towards a US-brokered truce, while Trump said the leader was simply not ready for peace with Russia.
The meeting came after Trump held phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his administration made clear Moscow’s wish to not include Ukraine in NATO. Democrats accused Trump and Vance of doing Putin’s “dirty work” after they berated Zelensky in front of the world’s media.
