WP: A scandalous Trump-Zelensky meeting…

President Donald Trump ripped into Ukrainian Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday, demanding respect and gratitude from the wartime leader in a blistering encounter that could determine whether Europe’s future is war or peace, ‘The Washington Post’ reports.

The heated back and forth — with Trump, Zelensky and Vice President JD Vance at times shouting over each other — was a striking breach of Oval Office comity, where even tough exchanges have typically happened with calm voices and diplomatic language.

Not Friday, when Trump told Zelensky that he had no cards and was in no position to make requests of the United States. He also suggested that talks could derail unless attitudes changed. The on-camera fury had no modern precedent and was all the more striking at a time when Trump appears to have begun a realignment with Moscow after generations in which Washington has stood staunchly against Kremlin aggression across the world.

Zelensky traveled from Kyiv to finalize a deal granting the United States limited access to Ukraine’s natural resources, which the smaller country had hoped would make the United States more open to bolstering its security in the war with Russia. Instead, the meeting ended without signatures, as Trump booted Zelensky from the White House and issued what appeared to be a threat to cut off U.S. aid for Ukraine entirely.

The turn of events was surprising given the optimism that both sides had projected going into a meeting that was designed to showcase a renewed relationship between Zelensky and Trump. The rapid deterioration revealed just how much tension continues to simmer between the two leaders.

“You’ve allowed yourself to be in a very bad position,” Trump told Zelensky, blaming Ukraine for the war even though it began with an unprovoked invasion by Moscow.

Zelensky resisted Trump’s conclusions, urging him to offer security guarantees, emphasizing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression and, as the conversation grew heated, chiding Vance for speaking about Ukraine without having visited the country.

Zelensky left shortly after 1:40 p.m., with a planned news conference canceled. He exited from the West Wing in silence and got into his armored SUV. Aides and other senior Ukrainian officials walked behind him into a van, some of them appearing dazed.

“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 wrote on social media as they departed. “He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he’s ready for Peace.”

The meeting’s most heated exchange came after Vance had pointed to the need for diplomacy and criticized the Biden administration. Zelensky then recounted Putin’s actions in 2014 and said the world has emboldened him over time.

“Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance said. “You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict.”

Zelensky challenged him back — a striking shift from other foreign leaders who have been careful to shower the U.S. president and his entourage with praise.

“Have you ever been to Ukraine? Come once?” Zelensky asked Vance.

“You bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour, Mr. President,” Vance responded and then challenged him over problems they’ve had with their military.

“First of all, during the war everybody has problems, even you,” Zelensky said. “But you have nice ocean and don’t feel now, but you will feel it in the future.”

That appeared to infuriate Trump, who repeatedly blasted the Ukrainian leader.

“You don’t know that. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. You’re in no position to dictate that,” he said, his voice rising.

“You’re right now not in a very good position. You’ve allowed yourself to be in a very bad position,” he added. “You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards.”

“I’m not playing cards. I’m very serious, Mr. President,” Zelensky responded. “I’m very serious.”

“You’re gambling with lives of millions of people,” Trump said. “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, that’s backed you! Far more than a lot of people said they had.”

Vance joined back in, asking: “Have you said thank you once, in this entire meeting?”

Zelensky said he has often thanked the American people for their support in the war effort. As Zelensky tried to speak again, Trump interrupted him.

“Wait a minute. No, no, you’ve done a lot of talking,” Trump said. “Your country is in big trouble.”

“You’re not winning this,” he added, and then put on a mocking voice. “Then you tell us, ‘I don’t want a ceasefire. I don’t want a ceasefire.’ ”

Trump has declared his faith that Putin, too, wants to end the war and will abide by any peace agreement that is struck. He has held back from criticism of the Russian leader even as he has hit Zelensky. This week, he sided with Moscow and Pyongyang against Ukraine in a vote marking the war’s anniversary at the United Nations.

The encounter, potentially catastrophic for Ukraine, reverberated around the world in near real time. Senior leaders in Brussels were glued to it on their phones, officials said. One senior European diplomat said that it was important for Zelensky to fix the problem, quickly, with a statement that declared his respect for Trump. Another said that it was a final confirmation that Europe had lost its U.S. ally.

European officials, meanwhile, rallied around Zelensky on Friday night, with several lawmakers and diplomats expressing shock and dismay. European leaders, including in Spain, Lithuania, Moldova, Sweden, Latvia and Norway, among others, all posted messages in solidarity with Zelensky, ‘The Washington Post’ writes.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote: “Dear Zelensky, dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone.”

French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated his support for Ukraine in remarks to reporters Friday evening: “I think we were all right to help Ukraine and sanction Russia three years ago and to continue to do so. And when I say we, it’s the United States of America, the Europeans, the Canadians, the Japanese and many others.”

“We must thank all those who helped and respect those who have been fighting from the start because they are fighting for their dignity, their independence, for their children and for the security of Europe,” he added. “These are simple things, but they are good to recall at this moment.”

German election winner Friedrich Merz, probably the country’s new chancellor, wrote to Zelensky: “We stand with Ukraine in good and in testing times.” Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said his country continues to support Ukraine, “especially now.”

There was one prominent exception to the chorus of supporting voices among European leaders: Moscow-friendly Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who commended Trump on Friday, saying he “stood bravely for peace.”

“Strong men make peace, weak men make war,” he said.

The combative exchange was also met with shock, and in many cases fury, across the political spectrum in the United Kingdom. The White House fireworks came one day after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s own meeting with Trump.

A Conservative Party member described Trump’s and Vice President JD Vance’s treatment of Zelensky “stomach churning.” Several members of parliament called on Starmer to revoke the invitation for a visit with King Charles that he had extended to Trump a day earlier.

Unsurprisingly, Zelensky’s performance also received negative reviews in Russia.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Zelensky of lying at the meeting, adding that it was “a miracle of restraint how Trump and Vance restrained themselves and didn’t punch this scumbag.”

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