(The Associated Press): Weeks of diplomatic work fell apart in just ninety seconds. In the Oval Office, former President Donald Trump faced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, revealing the futility of U.S. allies' attempts to sway Trump's position on halting Russia's invasion, even on terms that were detrimental to Ukraine.
Trump's handling of the matter demonstrated his determination to change U.S. foreign policy to fit his "America First" vision, going well beyond the strategies of his first term. Diplomacy gave way to finger-pointing and obvious exasperation during the dramatic encounter, which was one of the most heated public exchanges between foreign leaders in the White House.
This discussion raised concerns about Kyiv's capacity to continue defending itself in its battle with Russia and seriously threatened the future of U.S.-Ukraine relations. Trump made a clear change in U.S. support when he gave Zelenskyy a frank ultimatum: either Ukraine strikes a deal or the U.S. would withdraw its support.
Zelenskyy used social media shortly after the altercation to thank Trump, Congress, and the American people, highlighting how Ukrainians have always appreciated the help they have received, especially during the conflict. He emphasized the value of keeping close ties and presented the U.S.-Ukraine relationship as a deep and historic affinity between their countries.
Despite the difficult conversation, Zelenskyy reiterated his hope for sustained good relations with the United States. At the time, he was in London getting ready to see British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in advance of a summit of European leaders.
The tumultuous meeting in Washington came after a week of fierce lobbying by U.S. allies who sought to convince Trump to adopt a more aggressive posture against Russia while attempting to downplay the escalating tensions between the Biden administration and Kyiv. Earlier this week, French President Emmanuel Macron met with Trump and suggested a European-led peacekeeping effort in Ukraine. Preventing additional Russian aggression and making Trump more cautious of Russian President Vladimir Putin were the objectives.
Despite Trump and Macron's show of unity, the United States alienated its European friends at the UN by declining to hold Russia responsible for the invasion in resolutions commemorating the third anniversary of the conflict. This discrepancy demonstrated the widening gap between Washington and its allies in Europe.
In Washington, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also urged Trump to provide the United States with a security guarantee for European countries backing Ukraine. Starmer wanted to make sure that following a peace agreement, Russia wouldn't start fighting again. At first, it seemed that his strategy and King Charles III's invitation for Trump to travel to the United Kingdom would soften his position.
Trump briefly adopted a more accommodative stance, calling U.S. assistance to Ukraine a good cause and denying that he had called Zelenskyy a dictator in the past. He continued to reject Putin's previous betrayals, claiming that they had taken place under different presidents and that the Russian leader had never broken his commitment to him.
In the meantime, Trump's staff was attempting to set up talks with Russian officials in order to prepare for a possible meeting between him and Putin soon. This endeavor increased European allies' worries about Trump's motivations
In an effort to recoup American money spent on military assistance, Trump was also interested in acquiring a financial stake in Ukraine's vital minerals amid the political turmoil. However, Zelenskyy insisted on more precise security assurances as opposed to ambiguous economic pledges.
Trump steadfastly insisted that Zelenskyy would not be allowed to meet with him until Ukraine accepted the proposed agreement. Kyiv finally gave in on Wednesday after much pressure, paving the way for the eagerly awaited Friday meeting.
At first, Trump and Zelenskyy had a friendly talk. Trump alluded to continuing some military assistance until a peace agreement with Russia was finalized, and both leaders talked politely of one another.
But when Zelenskyy voiced doubt about believing Putin's pledges to end the war, emotions erupted. The tone of the meeting was immediately changed when Vice President JD Vance chastised him and cautioned against having public arguments with Trump.
Feeling surrounded, Zelenskyy stood his ground, which led to him being reprimanded by Trump and Vance for being impolite and ungrateful. They warned that the United States might stop supporting them.
Senator Lindsey Graham had cautioned Zelenskyy against taking on Trump head-on prior to the meeting. When Vance insisted that diplomacy was the only practical way forward, the Ukrainian president was unable to contain his worries.
Given Russia's track record of breaking ceasefires, Zelenskyy questioned the nature of the diplomacy Vance had in mind. Vance responded by criticizing Zelenskyy for discussing the matter in front of the American media and asserting that diplomacy was the only means of halting Ukraine's devastation.
Trump then launched a full-scale assault, warning Zelenskyy that his actions were putting the world at risk of war. He said the Ukrainian leader was disrespecting the United States, which Trump said had given more aid than some thought was needed.
Trump signaled a break from years of unwavering US backing for Ukraine by going one step further and said he was "in the middle" of the problem. He implied that the prospect of peace was being hampered by Zelenskyy's long-standing hostility toward Putin.
Trump said his animosity toward Putin was clear and would make peace talks very challenging, pointing to Zelenskyy. He emphasized the difficulty of diplomacy in such a setting and voiced skepticism about maintaining relations under such conditions.
As both presidents spoke over one another, the discussion swiftly broke down, revealing deep-seated differences over the war and potential future collaboration between the United States and Ukraine. According to his words, Trump was prepared to drastically alter America's position on the war.
In his brief tenure back in office, Trump has demonstrated his readiness to question established U.S. foreign policy tenets once again with this episode. His actions caused allies to question America's obligations abroad.
The encounter had immediate repercussions. Top Trump officials quickly asked Zelenskyy to leave the White House, calling off a scheduled joint press conference, lunch, and signing of the economic pact.
Trump refused to back down in the face of the Ukrainian delegation's efforts to restart the discussion. Reversing what Kyiv had seen as a possible security assurance, he later told reporters that he did not want to encourage Zelenskyy if he was reluctant to pursue peace with Russia.
Trump contended that Zelenskyy had no negotiating strength, saying that someone without actual bargaining power could not be empowered. His comments implied a significant change in America's strategy for the conflict.
After the heated meeting, Zelenskyy made an appearance on Fox News, admitting that neither side benefited from the altercation. He underlined that Trump had to comprehend Ukraine's hesitation to swiftly alter its position on Russia.
In order to stop another Russian invasion, Zelenskyy reaffirmed that Ukraine would not engage in peace talks without specific security assurances. He emphasized that many Ukrainians were afraid of another Putin attack.
He insisted that Ukraine desired a fair and sustainable peace, emphasizing that its citizens deserved guarantees that America would stick by them instead of switching sides.
Zelenskyy acknowledged the challenges that lay ahead and acknowledged that without U.S. support, Ukraine's position would become more difficult. He persisted in calling for ongoing American assistance.
He refrained from expressing regret to Trump explicitly throughout the interview. He did, however, seem to acknowledge the harsh reality of Trump's new strategy for U.S.-Ukraine ties as he expressed sadness for the situation in the end.
