Trump and Zelenskiy’s Argument Leaves Ukraine in a Tough Spot – Reuters Reports
According to Reuters, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met with Donald Trump on Friday at the White House, hoping to gain U.S. support in Ukraine’s war against Russia. However, the meeting ended badly, with a heated argument between the two leaders in front of the media.
Reuters explains that Zelenskiy wanted to convince Trump to continue backing Ukraine instead of moving closer to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who invaded Ukraine three years ago. But things went wrong when Trump and his Vice President, JD Vance, accused Zelenskiy of being disrespectful. A U.S. official told Reuters that Trump even told Zelenskiy to leave the meeting.
The disagreement damaged Ukraine’s relationship with the United States, which has been its biggest supporter in the war, Reuters reports. A major deal between the two countries to develop Ukraine’s natural resources was also left unsigned, which could have helped strengthen ties.
Since becoming president, Trump has been getting closer to Russia, which has worried many U.S. allies, Reuters highlights. The argument on Friday was the clearest sign yet that Trump might reduce U.S. support for Ukraine, making the country more vulnerable.
During the meeting, Vance said diplomacy was the best way to end the war, but Zelenskiy disagreed, saying that Putin couldn’t be trusted in negotiations. Reuters states that Zelenskiy even told Trump directly: “Don’t make deals with a killer.”
After the argument, Trump posted on Truth Social, saying Zelenskiy wasn’t ready for peace and should return only when he is, Reuters reports. Meanwhile, Zelenskiy got strong support from his military and many Ukrainians, who fear this could mean less U.S. military aid.
European leaders, including France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Friedrich Merz, defended Zelenskiy, saying that it’s important to remember that Russia is the aggressor in the war. According to Reuters, they quickly reached out to Zelenskiy to show their support.
Reuters also notes that inside Congress, Republicans had mixed reactions to the argument, while Democrats heavily criticized Trump for his handling of the meeting.
A key moment in the meeting came when Trump told Zelenskiy that Ukraine wasn’t in a strong position. He said that with U.S. help, Ukraine could be stronger, but without it, things could get worse. Zelenskiy replied: “I’m not playing games, Mr. President.” But Trump shot back: “You are gambling with people’s lives.”
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev celebrated the argument on Telegram, saying Zelenskiy had been humiliated, Reuters reports.
Later, a White House official told Reuters that Trump ordered his team to ask Zelenskiy to leave before lunch was even served, cutting the meeting short.
One major loss for Ukraine was that a minerals deal with the U.S. was left unsigned, which could have convinced Trump to continue supporting Ukraine’s war effort, according to Reuters. European leaders had also been trying to convince Trump to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, but Friday’s meeting made that even harder.
During the meeting, Trump warned Zelenskiy that the U.S. might stop helping Ukraine completely. He told Zelenskiy, “Make a deal or fight it out alone.”
JD Vance also accused Zelenskiy of failing to thank the U.S. properly, to which Zelenskiy firmly replied, “I have thanked Americans many times.”
According to Reuters, the Biden administration had given Ukraine billions of dollars in weapons and support, but Trump has a different approach. He wants to end the war quickly, rebuild relations with Russia, and stop spending U.S. money on Ukraine.
“I hope people will remember me as a peacemaker,” Trump said, according to Reuters.
Reuters notes that Ukraine still depends heavily on foreign military aid, despite increasing its own weapons production. Although Ukraine pushed Russia back in 2022, the war has become harder, with Russia slowly gaining ground.
Recently, Ukraine even took control of some land in Russia’s Kursk region, Reuters highlights.
In the past few weeks, Trump has been criticizing Zelenskiy, even calling him a dictator before later taking back the comment, Reuters reports.
Now, with Trump pushing Ukraine to accept a deal and reducing U.S. support, Reuters suggests that Ukraine could be in a much tougher position in its war against Russia.
Credit : Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-zelenskiy-sign-minerals-deal-white-house-meeting-2025-02-28