President Donald Trump abruptly ended negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday after a heated Oval Office exchange in which Trump accused Zelensky of being "not ready for peace." The confrontation, which also involved Vice President JD Vance, underscored the shifting stance of the U.S. toward Ukraine, as Trump increasingly pressures Kyiv to accept a ceasefire with Russia.
Following the meeting, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Zelensky "disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office" and that he could "come back when he is ready for Peace." The remarks came after a fiery discussion in which Trump and Vance repeatedly interrupted Zelensky, with Vance calling the Ukrainian leader "disrespectful" for advocating his position in front of the American media.
The exchange signaled growing tension between the two leaders. While Zelensky was a key U.S. ally under the Biden administration, Trump has taken a markedly different approach, calling the Ukrainian president a "dictator" and falsely claiming Ukraine was responsible for instigating the war with Russia.
During the meeting, Trump urged Zelensky to agree to a deal granting the U.S. access to Ukraine's mineral resources and to negotiate an immediate ceasefire. "You're gambling with the lives of millions of people," Trump told Zelensky, adding, "You're gambling with World War III, and what you're doing is very disrespectful to this country."
Zelensky pushed back, insisting that Ukraine sought a ceasefire but only with "guarantees" for security. The Ukrainian leader attempted to counter Trump's demands, arguing that Russia had repeatedly violated past ceasefires and that any agreement without strong assurances would leave Ukraine vulnerable. However, Trump dismissed his concerns, telling him, "You don't have the cards. With us, you have the cards, but without us, you don't have the cards."
The confrontation ended with the cancellation of a planned joint press conference and the failure to finalize a minerals deal that had been described by White House officials as "very close to the finish line." The agreement, which was expected to strengthen U.S. access to Ukraine's mineral resources, remains in limbo.
Reaction to the Oval Office clash was swift. Democratic strategist David Axelrod wrote on X, "I've never been more embarrassed for America than the spectacle I just witnessed in the Oval Office." Meanwhile, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon reacted differently, posting on Gettr, "Told Ya Zelensky is a Punk."
Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene praised Trump's approach, writing, "Putting Zelensky in his place while he disrespects the U.S. in the Oval Office is exactly what American leadership should look like." In contrast, former GOP Representative Adam Kinzinger posted, "Trump is a Russian agent. I'm sorry but F you Donald."
Russian officials also weighed in, with Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chair of Russia's Security Council, celebrating the moment, calling Zelensky an "insolent pig" who had been given "a proper slap down in the Oval Office."
