THE President of the United States (US), Donald Trump, has accused his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, of gambling with World War III.
While hosting Zelensky at the White House on Friday, Saturday, 28, Trump accused the Ukrainian president of showing no interest in ending his country’s war with Russia.
Zelenskiy had sought to use the White House meeting to persuade Trump not to align with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who launched a high-devastating war on Ukraine three years ago.
He was also to sign a US-Ukrainian pact that would allow the US to have access to Ukraine’s mineral resources as part of a US-brokered post-war recovery plan.
However, the atmosphere became tense as Trump and his vice, James David Vance, clashed with Zelensky, accusing him of lacking gratitude for US support during the three-year war against Russia’s invasion.
Trump, who had sided with Putin since taking over as president, berated Zelensky, telling him to be more ‘thankful’ and that without US support, Ukraine would have been conquered by Russia.
“People are dying, you’re running low on soldiers,” he scowled as he threatened to withdraw U.S. support from Ukraine.
“You’re either going to make a deal or we’re out,” Trump further yelled at his guest.
He dropped yet another blistering remark, “And if we’re out, you’ll fight it out and I don’t think it’s going to be pretty. Once we sign that deal, you’re in a much better position. But you’re not acting at all thankful, and that’s not a nice thing.”
Vance, who had been strongly opposed to US support to Ukraine before his elevation from a senator to the presidency, emphasised the importance of diplomacy in resolving Europe’s largest conflict since World War II.
Vance, whose mien and comments during the meeting fueled the crisis, maintained the US stance against Ukraine continuing with the war.
However, Zelenskiy, with his arms folded, argued that Putin could not be trusted in any negotiations and pointed out that Vance had never visited Ukraine.
Trump would not take any of his arguments. “You’re not in a good position. You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards,” the US leader said.
“I’m not playing cards, I’m very serious, Mr. President,” Zelenskiy retorted.
“You’re playing cards. You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people, you’re gambling with World War III,” exasperated Trump fired back.
Come back when you’re ready for peace, Trump tells Zelenskiy
While Zelenskiy openly challenged Trump over his softer approach toward Putin, urging him to make no compromises with a ‘killer’, Trump insisted that Putin was willing to negotiate a deal.
However, Vance accused Zelenskiy of being disrespectful by coming to the Oval Office to argue his position.
He slammed Zelenskiy for not appreciating Americans for the support he received during the war.
Zelenskiy countered him. He said, “I said a lot of times thank you to the American people.”
Zelenskiy, who received billions of dollars in U.S. weapons and moral support from the former President Joe Biden administration in Ukraine’s fight against Russia, is now facing a different approach from Trump.
The new president aims to quickly end the three-year war, rebuild ties with Russia, and recover funds spent on supporting Ukraine, among other drastic policies he has initiated.
Trump’s team at the meeting resolved during a break to send Zelenskiy and his delegation away.
A Trump official delivered the message, resulting in the Ukrainian leader cancelling his other schedules in the US, including a joint press briefing with Trump.
The planned agreement was also not signed. Similarly, the meals prepared for the parties were left untouched.
The ICIR reports that the development puts efforts by French President Emmanuel Macron and other European Union leaders to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia in limbo.
CNN reported that never before had a US president addressed his visitor in the manner Trump ‘humiliated’ Zelensky.
Trump consequently took to his Truth Social platform to accuse Zelensky of disrespecting the United States.
“I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved. He can come back when he is ready for peace,” he wrote.
Trump has engaged in a cold war with Zelenskiy in recent weeks, criticising his handling of the war, and calling him a ‘dictator’.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.