US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a heated argument at the White House on Friday over Ukraine’s war strategy, US military aid and efforts to end the conflict.
The exchange, which also saw strong comments from US Vice President JD Vance, showed growing tensions between Kyiv and Washington over future support for Ukraine.
Trump defends his stance on Putin
During the meeting, Trump defended his diplomatic stance, arguing that engaging with both sides was necessary to negotiate peace.
“If I didn’t align myself with both of them, you’d never have a deal. You want me to say really terrible things about Putin and then say, ‘Hi, Vladimir. How are we doing on the deal?’ It doesn’t work that way,” Trump said.
However, Zelenskyy pushed back, pointing out that past negotiations with Russia had failed to stop its aggression.
“What kind of diplomacy, JD, are you speaking about? What do you mean?” he asked Trump’s running mate JD Vance, referring to previous ceasefire agreements that Russia had violated.
He also reminded Trump that Russia had occupied Crimea and eastern Ukraine since 2014 and that diplomatic efforts had not stopped the war.
Tensions over US military aid
The conversation turned tense when Vance questioned whether Zelenskyy had adequately expressed gratitude for US military support.
“Have you said thank you?” Vance asked.
“A lot of times,” Zelenskyy responded.
Donald Trump in turn said that Ukraine was heavily dependent on US aid.
“You don’t have the cards. With us, you have the cards, but without us, you don’t have any cards,” he said, arguing that Kyiv needed to be more appreciative of American support.
He also claimed that without US military assistance, Ukraine would not have lasted long in the war.
“If you didn’t have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks,” Trump said.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy dismissed this claim, saying, “In three days. I heard it from Putin in three days.”
Zelenskyy on his attire
In a surprising moment, a reporter asked Zelenskyy why he does not wear a suit. He replied,
“I will wear of course after this war will finish. Maybe something like yours. Maybe something better I don’t know. We will see. Maybe something cheaper. Thank you.”
Zelenskyy, Trump at odds over conflict resolution
The conversation ended on a tense note, with a clear divide between Zelenskyy and Trump on how to navigate the ongoing conflict. Trump called for a tougher approach, saying stronger action was needed to end the war quickly.
He said that a more direct and forceful strategy would work better than relying on diplomacy. Zelenskyy, however, disagreed, stressing that Ukraine’s right to defend itself and protect its sovereignty was non-negotiable.
“We are staying in our country, staying strong. From the very beginning of the war, we’ve been alone, and we are thankful,” Zelenskyy said. He acknowledged the support Ukraine had received but made it clear that they would keep fighting. He also rejected Trump’s suggestion that Ukraine was in a weak position, highlighting the strength of the Ukrainian people.
Zelenskyy then replied firmly, “You are gambling with the lives of millions of people,” accusing Trump of overlooking the human cost of the war. Trump, unshaken, responded, warning, “You’re gambling with World War 3.”
