The Crossbill Team
In an extraordinary diplomatic standoff on Friday (February 28), US President Donald Trump and Vice-President J.D. Vance clashed publicly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a high-profile meeting at the White House.
The confrontation, broadcast live, underscored the growing divide between Washington and Kyiv under Trump’s leadership.
The heated exchange took place as Zelenskyy visited Washington to finalize a controversial critical minerals deal. The meeting quickly turned confrontational, with Trump and Vance accusing the Ukrainian leader of being ungrateful for US support. Reports indicate that tensions escalated to the point where Zelenskyy was asked to leave the White House, leading to the abrupt cancellation of a planned joint press conference.
US-Ukraine Rift Deepens
The fallout comes just days after the Trump administration aligned with Russia, Belarus, and North Korea in opposing a European Union- and Ukraine-backed resolution for peace, marking a stark departure from previous US policy.
Following the meeting, Trump announced on Truth Social that he had no immediate plans to revive negotiations on the minerals deal.
“I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE,” Trump stated.
During the meeting, Trump sharply criticized Zelenskyy’s approach, warning that US support was not unconditional.
“You’re either going to make a deal, or we’re out. And if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty,” Trump reportedly told him.
Vance further accused Zelenskyy of playing to the American media and questioned whether he had expressed gratitude for US aid. “Have you said thank you even once?” Vance pressed.
In response, Zelenskyy appeared to post multiple messages of appreciation to world leaders and supporters on social media platform X.
European Leaders Rally Behind Ukraine
In the wake of the White House standoff, European leaders expressed strong support for Zelenskyy. French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated that Russia was the aggressor and Ukraine the victim. “We must respect those who have been fighting since the beginning,” Macron said.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk assured Ukraine that it was “not alone.”
“Dear President Zelenskyy, dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone,” Tusk wrote on X.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez affirmed, “Ukraine, Spain stands with you.” Leaders from Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Portugal, and several other European nations also voiced solidarity with Ukraine.
In the US, Democratic lawmakers were quick to back Zelenskyy, deepening the political divide over Washington’s stance on the war.
Russia Applauds Trump’s Confrontation
Russia, meanwhile, welcomed the White House drama. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova mocked the incident, calling it a “miracle” that Trump and Vance restrained themselves.
Former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev praised Trump for “telling the truth” and urged him to halt military aid to Ukraine.
Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, described the Oval Office clash as “historic.”
The Suspended Minerals Deal
At the heart of Zelenskyy’s visit was a proposed “reconstruction investment fund,” jointly controlled by the US and Ukraine. The agreement would see 50% of revenues from Ukraine’s state-owned natural resources and related infrastructure funnelled into the fund, potentially impacting assets controlled by Ukraine’s oligarchs.
Analysts suggested that concerns over the deal’s terms may have contributed to the friction between the leaders. Trump’s stance on US financial contributions remained ambiguous, with the president reportedly believing that Ukraine already owed the US for past aid.
With diplomatic ties fraying and no resolution in sight, the fallout from the White House confrontation marks a significant shift in US-Ukraine relations under the Trump administration.
The confrontation, broadcast live, underscored the growing divide between Washington and Kyiv under Trump’s leadership.
The heated exchange took place as Zelenskyy visited Washington to finalize a controversial critical minerals deal. The meeting quickly turned confrontational, with Trump and Vance accusing the Ukrainian leader of being ungrateful for US support. Reports indicate that tensions escalated to the point where Zelenskyy was asked to leave the White House, leading to the abrupt cancellation of a planned joint press conference.
US-Ukraine Rift Deepens
The fallout comes just days after the Trump administration aligned with Russia, Belarus, and North Korea in opposing a European Union- and Ukraine-backed resolution for peace, marking a stark departure from previous US policy.
Following the meeting, Trump announced on Truth Social that he had no immediate plans to revive negotiations on the minerals deal.
“I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE,” Trump stated.
During the meeting, Trump sharply criticized Zelenskyy’s approach, warning that US support was not unconditional.
“You’re either going to make a deal, or we’re out. And if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty,” Trump reportedly told him.
Vance further accused Zelenskyy of playing to the American media and questioned whether he had expressed gratitude for US aid. “Have you said thank you even once?” Vance pressed.
In response, Zelenskyy appeared to post multiple messages of appreciation to world leaders and supporters on social media platform X.
European Leaders Rally Behind Ukraine
In the wake of the White House standoff, European leaders expressed strong support for Zelenskyy. French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated that Russia was the aggressor and Ukraine the victim. “We must respect those who have been fighting since the beginning,” Macron said.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk assured Ukraine that it was “not alone.”
“Dear President Zelenskyy, dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone,” Tusk wrote on X.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez affirmed, “Ukraine, Spain stands with you.” Leaders from Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Portugal, and several other European nations also voiced solidarity with Ukraine.
In the US, Democratic lawmakers were quick to back Zelenskyy, deepening the political divide over Washington’s stance on the war.
Russia Applauds Trump’s Confrontation
Russia, meanwhile, welcomed the White House drama. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova mocked the incident, calling it a “miracle” that Trump and Vance restrained themselves.
Former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev praised Trump for “telling the truth” and urged him to halt military aid to Ukraine.
Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, described the Oval Office clash as “historic.”
The Suspended Minerals Deal
At the heart of Zelenskyy’s visit was a proposed “reconstruction investment fund,” jointly controlled by the US and Ukraine. The agreement would see 50% of revenues from Ukraine’s state-owned natural resources and related infrastructure funnelled into the fund, potentially impacting assets controlled by Ukraine’s oligarchs.
Analysts suggested that concerns over the deal’s terms may have contributed to the friction between the leaders. Trump’s stance on US financial contributions remained ambiguous, with the president reportedly believing that Ukraine already owed the US for past aid.
With diplomatic ties fraying and no resolution in sight, the fallout from the White House confrontation marks a significant shift in US-Ukraine relations under the Trump administration.
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