A tense press conference between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and former U.S. President Donald Trump erupted into a heated exchange over American aid to Ukraine.
The 45-minute briefing in the Oval Office took a sharp turn when Zelensky responded to U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s statement. Vance had said Ukraine must accept U.S.-backed peace terms.
As Zelensky began to reply, Trump cut him off.
“You are not allowed to talk,” Trump said.
Zelensky held his ground. “At the start of this war, we stood alone,” he stated.
Trump quickly fired back.
“Without our military support, this war would have ended in two weeks,” he claimed.
Zelensky responded with a sharp retort.
“Three days… That’s what Putin said. Now it’s two weeks?” he asked.
JD Vance joined in. “Just say thank you,” he told Zelensky. The Ukrainian leader responded that he thanked the American people.
A viral video showed Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova shaking her head as the argument escalated.
“God forbid you ever face war,” Zelensky said.
Trump pushed back. “You don’t know that. Don’t tell us how we feel,” he shot back.
As tensions grew, Trump insisted that Ukraine lacked the power to dictate peace terms.
“You don’t have the leverage right now,” he said.
Zelensky dismissed the comparison. “I’m not playing cards,” he replied.
Trump, however, doubled down.
“You’re disrespecting this country. You can’t play with it,” he said.
Before the briefing ended, Trump made a final remark. “It’s going to make great television,” he quipped.
Tense Negotiations Before the Visit
Zelensky met Trump in Washington on Feb. 28 to finalize a framework agreement on Ukraine’s natural resources. The two leaders shook hands before journalists but ignored shouted questions.
His visit followed weeks of tough negotiations. Ukraine had rejected two earlier drafts of the deal, calling them one-sided. Officials argued that Washington offered no security guarantees in return for Ukraine’s economic commitments.
The agreement establishes a fund where Ukraine will deposit 50% of revenue from future state-owned mineral sales. This includes oil, gas, and logistics infrastructure. The deal remains under discussion.
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