Trump says Zelenskyy can ‘come back when he is ready for Peace’ after fiery White House exchange
Conversations about a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia came to a screeching halt Friday, after a tense meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy led to a canceled press conference, a minerals deal off the table and Trump asking the Ukrainian president to leave, a White House official confirmed.
Trump accused Zelenskyy of ‘disrespecting’ the U.S. during their Friday meeting, and said the Ukrainian leader was not ready to secure peace for his country.
‘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,’ Trump said in a Truth Social post Friday. ‘I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.’
Zelenskyy visited Washington amid negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, and was expected to sign a minerals agreement that will allow the U.S. access to Ukraine’s minerals — in exchange for support the U.S. has provided the country since Russia’s invasion in 2022.
But things took a turn south, and Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused Zelenskyy of not being grateful for the support the U.S. has provided over the years and said that the Ukrainian leader was in a ‘bad position’ at the negotiating table.
‘You’re playing cards,’ Trump said. ‘You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III. You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country.’
After Vance told Zelenskyy that Ukraine was suffering from manpower and military recruiting problems, Zelenskyy said that war means ‘everybody has problems, even you’ and that the U.S. would feel the war ‘in the future.’
‘Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel,’ Trump responded. ‘We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.’
‘You are in no position to dictate that, remember that,’ Trump said.
Vance and Zelenskyy also sparred when Vance questioned if Zelenskyy had ever said ‘thank you once this entire meeting,’ prompting Zelenskyy to assert that Vance was speaking ‘loudly.’
Trump then clapped back at Zelenskyy, and cautioned him that Ukraine was in ‘big trouble.’
‘Wait a minute,’ Trump said. ‘No, no, you’ve done a lot of talking. Your country is in big trouble.’
Additionally, when asked if Zelenskyy believed Trump was on Ukraine’s side, Zelenskyy told reporters at the Oval Office that he believed the U.S. is on Ukraine’s side and reiterated the importance of stopping aggression from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy also emphasized the importance of Europe’s assistance during the conflict with Russia — prompting Trump to interject and claim U.S. contributions were more significant than Europe’s. But Zelenskyy pushed back and said that wasn’t true.
Exact numbers on financial assistance to Ukraine vary slightly, depending on what is considered aid. However, Congress has appropriated $175 billion since 2022 for aid to Ukraine, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
Meanwhile, all European assistance to Ukraine between January 2022 and December 2024 totals roughly $138.7 billion, the German-based think tank the Kiel Institute estimates, with the U.S. contributing $119.7 billion in that same time frame.
Tensions between Zelenskyy and Trump have increased in recent weeks as the U.S. has worked with Ukraine and Russia to advance a peace negotiation. After U.S. officials met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia Feb. 18 without Ukraine, Zelenskyy told reporters that ‘nobody decides anything behind our back.’
Trump and Zelenskyy then traded barbs at one another, with Zelenskyy accusing Trump of advancing Russian ‘disinformation’ and Trump labeling Zelenskyy a ‘dictator’ that has failed his country.
On Thursday, Trump didn’t double down on that statement though.
When asked if he stood by his statement, he told reporters: ‘Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that. Next question.’
Trump also told reporters while meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Thursday that a peace negotiation was in the final stages, but he exercised caution about sharing details concerning a peacekeeping force in the region until a deal was finalized.
‘I think we’re very well advanced on a deal,’ Trump said. ‘But we have not made a deal yet. So I don’t like to talk about peacekeeping until we have a deal. I like to get things done.’
Trump also said he didn’t expect Putin to violate any agreement to create peace with Ukraine.
‘I don’t believe he’s going to violate his word,’ Trump said Thursday. ‘I don’t think he’ll be back when we make a deal. I think the deal is going to hold now.’
Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich and Emma Colton contributed to this report.
