Video: President Trump, VP Vance clash with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in Oval Office
- President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy engaged in a heated exchange during an Oval Office meeting.
- Trump asserted that Zelenskyy was "not ready for Peace" and accused him of "gambling with the lives of millions of people" and risking World War III.
- Vice President Vance echoed Trump's sentiments, criticizing Zelenskyy for lecturing the U.S. instead of expressing appreciation.
WASHINGTON − President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance dressed down Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday in a remarkable public spat between the two leaders over the Russian invasion.
A tense exchange turned into a verbal explosion after Vance told Zelenskyy he was being "disrespectful" to Trump and should be thanking the U.S. rather than lecturing it on the cause of the war.
Shortly after the meeting blew up, Trump said he's "determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved," signaling a proposed deal for the U.S. to receive revenue from Ukraine's minerals in exchange for military assistance was likely dead.
"He can come back when he is ready for Peace," Trump said in the post on Truth Social.
As tempers flared during the meeting, Zelenskyy told Trump an ocean separates the U.S. from the conflict now, "but you will feel it in the future."
"Don't tell us what we're going to feel. We're trying to solve a problem. Don't tell us what we're going to feel," Trump retorted.
Zelenskyy interjected. "I'm not telling you," he said. Vance hit back. "That's exactly what you're doing," the vice president said.
"You're in no position to dictate what we're going to feel," a heated Trump responded. "We are going to feel very good and very strong. You're right now not in a very good position....You're not in a good position. You don't have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards."
Trump continued; "You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with WWIII....And what you're doing is very respectful to the country, this country."
Vance dove in again, and asked if he'd said thank you once, and hit Zelenskyy for a visit he made to Pennsylvania, just be the U.S. presidential election.
Zelenskyy tried to defend himself, telling Vance that "you think that if you will speak very loudly about the war..." But it was Trump who jumped back in to tell him, "Your country's in big trouble."
"You have a damn good chance of coming out okay because of us," Trump said.