In astonishing scenes at the Oval Office during which the two leaders argued and spoke over each other, the US President repeatedly berated the Ukrainian leader for being insufficiently thankful and threatened to withdraw support for Ukraine.
The deal would have given the US control over huge swathes of Ukraine’s critical minerals and rare earths.
Trump's bullying of Zelensky reminds the world that business as usual is over
Read MoreBut during the meeting, Trump and his Vice-President, JD Vance, accused Zelensky of being “disrespectful” to America, with Trump claiming he was “gambling with World War Three”.
“Once we sign that deal, you’re in a much better position. But you’re not acting at all thankful, and that’s not a nice thing. I’ll be honest. That’s not a nice thing.”
Donald Trump, centre, and his Vice-President, JD Vance, right accused Zelensky of being ‘disrespectful’ to America (Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
“That is why we will never accept just a ceasefire. It will not work without security guarantees … this document is not enough, strong army is enough, because his soldiers are afraid,” he said.
Zelensky openly challenged Trump and Vance over their “diplomacy” towards Putin. He pointed out that Putin had since 2014 repeatedly broken deals, invading Crimea and eastern Ukraine, and urged Trump to “make no compromises with a killer”.
This appeared to rattle Vance, who raised his voice, accusing Zelensky of disrespect and of organising “propaganda tours” of Ukraine when Zelensky pointed out that Vance had never visited the country.
Vance told him: “Mr President, with respect. I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.”
“The world has changed in the last 90 minutes”
Isabella Bengoechea and Richard Holmes
A UK intelligence source has told The i Paper: “The world has changed in the last 90 minutes.”
On Friday, No 10 and UK diplomats were maintaining a watching brief, and a Foreign Office source said: “Let’s see what develops in the coming days.”
As Western allies try to get their heads around the repercussions of the meeting for Ukrainian – and their own – interests, there is no doubt that the spectacle of two purported allies scrapping at each other in the White House will be being celebrated in Moscow.
The former Ukrainian prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told Times Radio that champagne corks were “already popping” in the Kremlin, describing the situation as “the worst-case scenario”.
“Now we need new mediators, new envoys to the White House, somehow to repair the damage,” he said. “I can reiterate that I know for sure who is happy right now: war criminal [Vladimir] Putin. And he’s not the only one. The gang of godfathers, the axis of evil.”
Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president, posted an abusive social media post about Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him an “insolent pig”, and celebrated him getting “a proper slap down in the Oval Office”, adding: “And [Donald Trump] is right: The Kiev regime is “gambling with WWIII.”
Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry’s spokeswoman, said that “how Trump and [JD] Vance restrained themselves and did not hit him is a miracle of restraint.”
Trump responded: “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel, because you’re in no position to dictate that exactly. You’re in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel.”
Volodymr Zelenksy, pictured with Donald Trump, right, said: ‘I will wear [a suit] after this war will finish’ (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
The reporter said: “Why don’t you wear a suit? You’re the highest level office in this country, and you refuse to wear a suit.”
Trump ended the press conference, saying, “This is going to be great television”.
Zelensky was initially given a warm welcome to the Oval Office (Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Ukraine’s panicked allies pledged their continued support for Volodymyr Zelensky after the White House showdown between Donald Trump and the Ukrainian President.
“We must … respect those who have been fighting since the beginning,” he said.
In Ukraine itself, there was widespread support for their leader.
Oleksii Kuleba, Vice Prime Minister for the Reconstruction of Ukraine and the Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, said on Telegram: “Unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s interests and devotion to his country. This is what we saw today in the United States. Support for the President of Ukraine.”
A UK intelligence source has told The i Paper: “The world has changed in the last 90 minutes.”
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