U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday threw Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky out of the Oval Office after a clashed erupted over American support for Ukraine.
During the tense meeting, Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelensky for what they saw as a lack of gratitude for U.S. assistance.
They accused him of obstructing a peace deal with Russia as the war dragged into its third year.
The outburst marked a dramatic turn in diplomatic relations.
“You’re not really in a very good position,” Trump told Zelensky. “You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards.”
“I’m not playing cards,” Zelensky shot back as reported by CNN.
As the back-and-forth escalated, Trump raised his voice, accusing the Ukrainian leader of gambling with millions of lives and risking World War III.
Vance went further, calling Zelensky “disrespectful” and questioning his level of appreciation for U.S. support.
“Have you said ‘thank you’ once?” Vance pressed.
Following the fiery confrontation, Trump abruptly ended the meeting and ordered the Ukrainian delegation to leave the White House, a senior official confirmed.
A scheduled joint press conference was canceled, and Zelensky departed without signing a planned agreement granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals.
In a scathing post on social media, Trump declared that Zelensky was not welcome back until he was “ready for peace.”
In contrast, Zelensky remained diplomatic, thanking America, Congress, and the people of the U.S. for their continued support.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry was more defiant, posting, “We have our own things to do. Glory to Ukraine.”
Russia swiftly seized on the dramatic exchange. Kirill Dmitriev, a Kremlin envoy, called the moment “historic,” while Russian state media framed Zelensky as erratic and ungrateful.
A RIA Novosti headline declared: “Zelensky’s Hysteria in the White House Shocks the Rada.”
Earlier in the day, Zelensky had met with a bipartisan U.S. Senate delegation to discuss military aid and security guarantees.
Despite the diplomatic breakdown with Trump, Zelensky reaffirmed his gratitude for America’s continued support.
P.M. NEWS
