Trump Slams ‘Disrespectful’ Zelensky For ‘Gambling with World War III’ - Orders Him to Leave White House
Eastern Europe and Central Asia , Foreign Relations
A visit to the White House by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 28 ended in a major breakdown in talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, after an unprecedentedly heated argument resulted in Zelensky and his team being ordered to leave the building. Zelensky had travelled to Washington to sign a deal that would grant the United States extensive access to Ukraine’s mineral wealth, although after the better part of an hour of talks the discussions deteriorated sharply in front of the press. “I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance informed Zelensky, with Trump subsequently raising his voice. “Right now…you’re gambling with the lives of millions of people,” the president informed his Ukrainian counterpart. “You’re gambling with World War III. You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country. It’s backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have.”
Zelensky’s team quickly left the Oval Office to head to a “separated room,” after which National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered them to leave. President Trump subsequently commented on the meeting: “I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations.” “I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace,” he added. The breakdown in talks sent shockwaves throughout European capitals and Turkey, which have strongly supported the Ukrainian position and opposed the new U.S. administration’s lack of support for the collective Western war effort. In the aftermath, speculation has grown among analysts that the deterioration of Ukraine’s position could further accelerate, particularly if the United States withdraws key support such as access to its Starlink satellite network or the presence of its considerable network of servicemen and contractors on Ukrainian soil.
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