Furious Trump-Zelensky row in White House leaves Ukrainian peace talks and minerals deal in tatters

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A vital deal between Ukraine and the US is in tatters after Volodymyr Zelensky was thrown out of the White House as talks with Donald Trump blew up into a bitter public row.

The US president and his deputy JD Vance angrily accused the Ukrainian leader of gambling with a third world war, claiming he was “disrespectful” and “ungrateful”.

To the shock of the world’s watching media, the Oval Office talks descended into a furious shouting match, ending with the Ukrainian president leaving without having signed a deal pivotal to securing US help in ending the war with Russia.

Mr Trump ejected Mr Zelensky, even when the Ukrainian team were said to have been begging for a “reset” in relations.

Kremlin officials reacted with glee. Russian former president Dmitry Medvedev wrote: “The insolent pig finally got a proper slap down in the Oval Office. And @realDonaldTrump is right: The Kiev regime is ‘gambling with WWIII’.”

After Mr Trump and Mr Vance lashed out, one journalist in the room said the two sides yelling at each other in the Oval Office was “something I’ve never witnessed in eight years at the White House”.

The meeting started courteously but descended into open acrimony as both Republicans demanded Mr Zelensky show gratitude.

The US president claimed Mr Zelensky would have no power without him, berated him for “gambling with millions of lives” and said he could either make a deal or “fight it out”.

Mr Trump told his Ukrainian counterpart, who had flown to Washington to try to win security guarantees: “You’re gambling with world war three, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have.”

British politicians rallied to Mr Zelensky’s defence. Conservative former leadership candidate Robert Jenrick posted on social media: “I’m sickened by that degrading spectacle. And to think the bust of Winston Churchill was in the same room as it unfolded. He would be turning in his grave if he saw that happen.”

Another former Tory leadership candidate, Priti Patel, said: “President Zelensky has led Ukraine through its darkest hour. His leadership, coupled with the remarkable courage of the Ukrainian people, have inspired us all and crucially held back Russia’s illegal invasion.

“The Ukrainian people have faced horrors that few of us could imagine and we stand shoulder to shoulder with them today and always. Our support remains unwavering.”

Shadow security minister Alicia Kearns said: “Performative bullying for a domestic US audience. Just watching the video shamed me to my core.”

And James Cleverly, a third ex-leadership contender, wrote: “Even if the UK is the only country in the world supporting Ukraine, we should keep supporting them. They are on the front line of our defence. Their sons and daughters are fighting and dying for our freedom. We should be thanking them.”

German chancellor Olaf Scholz said Ukraine could still rely on his country and the rest of Europe.

Mr Zelensky had arrived at the White House expecting to sign a deal that would grant the US access to the country’s rare earth materials as the Ukrainian leader seeks US backing in trying to bring the war with Russia to a close.

Mr Vance told him: “Mr President, with respect. I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.”

The Ukrainian president tried to object, prompting Mr Trump to raise his voice and say: “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people.”

The US president repeatedly insisted: “You’re not in a good position right now.”

In a later post on Truth Social, Mr Trump repeated his claim that Mr Zelensky was “disrespectful”. “I have determined that President Zelensky is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations,” Mr Trump wrote. “I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE.”

“He can come back when he is ready for Peace,” he added.

After the chaotic row, Mr Zelensky remained dignified, posting: “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.”

At the start of the talks in the Oval Office meeting watched by the world’s media, Mr Trump said the US had held “very good” discussions with Russia and they were “fairly close” to a ceasefire agreement.

He said he did not ally himself more with Ukraine than Russia. Asked whether he positioned himself in the middle or on Ukraine’s side, Mr Trump said: “I’m in the middle. I want to solve this thing. I’m for both. I want to get it solved.”

He said the US would continue sending arms to Ukraine but that Mr Zelensky would “certainly” need to make compromises to end the war.

Soon, both Americans were talking over Mr Zelensky in bitter exchanges. Mr Vance said: “Have you said ‘thank you’ once? You went to Pennsylvania to campaign for the opposition.”

As the Ukrainian president tried to respond, Mr Trump butted in, saying: “You’re running low on soldiers… then you’re telling us you don’t want a ceasefire.”

Mr Vance told Mr Zelensky: “Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems, you should be thanking the president.

“Do you disagree that you’ve had problems bringing people in your military, and do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?”

At one point, the Ukrainian ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, held her head in her hands and appeared despairing.

A White House correspondent for the right-wing Fox News said the Ukrainans were “begging to reset” relations but secretary of state Marco Rubio told them Mr Zelensky needed to leave the White House grounds, returning when he was “ready for peace”.

Jacqui Heinrich said the US president and officials said they felt “disrespected” by Mr Zelensky’s rhetoric and demeanour, claiming he was “shrugging and rolling his eyes” during the conversation.

The clash undermines recent efforts by European leaders to convince Mr Trump to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, even if he has refused to deploy US soldiers on Ukrainian soil.

Such guarantees are seen as crucial to deter Russia from future aggression.

The row is likely to dominate Sunday’s discussions in London between leaders of countries including Germany, France and Poland, as well as Mr Zelensky, at talks hosted by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Last week, Mr Trump let slip his antipathy towards the Ukrainian leader, branding him a “dictator without elections”, prompting outrage in the UK. However, in a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer on Thursday, Mr Trump downplayed the jibe, claiming not to recall having used those words.

The Independent’s world affairs editor, Sam Kiley, says Mr Trump and Mr Vance ambushed Mr Zelensky in a trap they had planned.

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