Trump Tells Zelensky to Make a Deal or ‘We Are Out’ in Heated Exchange

A heated exchange between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Thursday has sparked international controversy.

What was intended to be a routine meeting to discuss a minerals deal quickly descended into a fiery confrontation, with Trump accusing Zelensky of “gambling with World War Three.”

The clash occurred during a public meeting where the two leaders had planned to sign a deal regarding access to Ukrainian oil, gas, and rare minerals.

However, tensions flared when Zelensky firmly rejected any compromises with Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing that there should be “no concessions” made in peace talks.

Trump, however, insisted that Ukraine would need to make some concessions to achieve a peace deal with Russia.

The U.S. president expressed frustration, telling Zelensky he was “gambling with World War Three” and not being sufficiently appreciative of U.S. military and political support.

Trump also remarked that Zelensky was taking advantage of America’s involvement in the conflict, a stance that further strained the already fraught atmosphere.

The confrontation reached its peak when U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who was present in the room, urged Zelensky to pursue diplomacy to end the war.

Zelensky responded with skepticism, referring to a failed ceasefire agreement from 2019 and questioning the nature of future peace talks.

This response further irritated Trump and Vance, who accused the Ukrainian president of being disrespectful and failing to appreciate the United States’ role in supporting Ukraine during the war with Russia.

The situation took a turn when Zelensky abruptly left the meeting before the deal could be signed.

Trump later took to Truth Social, the social media platform he owns, to express his discontent, stating that Zelensky had “disrespected the US in its cherished Oval Office.”

Trump claimed that Zelensky was not ready for peace negotiations, accusing him of leveraging the U.S. involvement to gain a negotiation advantage.

The fallout from the meeting has prompted varied reactions. Russia praised Trump and Vance for their restraint, while European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, expressed strong support for Ukraine, emphasizing that Russia was the aggressor in the conflict.

Meanwhile, U.S. Democrats condemned Trump for undermining Ukraine, accusing him of doing Russia’s bidding, while some Republicans sided with the president, citing his call for peace.