Ukraine Faces an Uncertain Future after a Clash Between Zelensky and Trump

1st March 2025

5 minutes read

Ukraine Faces an Uncertain Future after a Clash Between Zelensky and Trump

The U.S. President accused his Ukrainian counterpart of disrespecting the United States and held him responsible for prolonging the war, amid reports that he was expelled from the White House after their heated meeting.

The meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump ended in disaster on Friday after an unusually heated verbal altercation between the two leaders in front of the global media at the White House. The clash centered on the war with Russia, with Trump accusing Zelensky of disrespecting the U.S. and being responsible for the continuation of the conflict, despite Kyiv’s heavy losses.

Zelensky had traveled to Washington to persuade the United States not to align itself with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had ordered the invasion of Ukraine three years earlier.

However, instead of strengthening ties, the Ukrainian president had a sharp disagreement with Trump and his vice president, J.D. Vance, over the conflict. Trump and Vance claimed that Zelensky had shown a lack of respect toward the U.S., further straining relations between Kyiv and its key wartime ally. A U.S. official stated that Zelensky was asked to leave the White House.

As a result, no agreement was signed between Ukraine and the U.S. regarding the joint development of Ukraine’s vast natural resources—a project that Kyiv and its European allies had hoped would lead to stronger ties.

European leaders quickly defended Zelensky. Friedrich Merz, the candidate for German chancellor, stated, “We must never confuse the aggressor with the victim in this terrible war.” French President Emmanuel Macron reinforced his support for Zelensky, stressing that “Russia is the aggressor, and Ukraine is the victim.”

A member of the Ukrainian delegation in Washington confirmed that Zelensky had spoken by phone with Macron, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and European Council President António Costa.

The UK is set to host a meeting on Sunday with European leaders and Zelensky to discuss security support for any potential peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv.

Since taking office, Trump has leaned toward Russia, shocking traditional allies in Europe and beyond and leaving Ukraine increasingly vulnerable. Friday’s altercation was the most public display of this shift.

J.D. Vance emphasized the need for diplomacy to resolve the largest conflict in Europe since World War II, while Zelensky countered that Putin could not be trusted in any negotiations.

Trump quickly took to his Truth Social platform to accuse Zelensky of disrespecting the U.S., writing, “I see that President Zelensky is not ready for peace if America is involved… He can return when he is ready to negotiate.”

Later, as he left the White House for his Florida residence for the weekend, Trump told reporters that Zelensky needed to realize he was losing the war.

The clash also undermined recent efforts by European leaders to secure security guarantees for Ukraine from Trump, even if he refuses to deploy U.S. troops. Such guarantees are crucial to deterring further Russian aggression.

During a heated exchange in the Oval Office, Trump told Zelensky, “People are dying… You are running out of soldiers,” and threatened to withdraw U.S. support.

“You either make a deal, or we leave. And if we leave, you’ll keep fighting. I don’t think you’ll like that,” Trump added.

“You have no leverage. Once we sign this agreement, you’ll be in a much better position. But you show no gratitude, and that’s not a good thing. I’ll be frank. That’s not good at all.”

Zelensky fiercely argued against Trump’s softer stance on Putin, urging him “not to make concessions to a murderer.” Trump insisted that Putin wanted a deal.

“You are gambling with World War III,” Trump warned Zelensky, urging him to be more appreciative.

Vance interrupted the conversation, stating that the Ukrainian president’s visit to the White House to argue demonstrated a lack of respect, a sentiment Trump agreed with. Vance added, “You didn’t say thank you.” Zelensky responded, raising his voice, “I have said thank you many times to the American people.”

In a later interview with Fox News, the Ukrainian president stated that it was possible to salvage his relationship with the U.S. president after Friday’s altercation. He added, “Of course… I regret what happened.”

The Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, issued a statement on Telegram affirming that his troops stood by Zelensky and that Ukraine’s strength lay in its unity.

Concerned Ukrainians who had been following the event from afar largely expressed their support for their leader but also voiced worries about the continued flow of U.S. military aid, which the country relies on.

In Congress, reactions from Trump’s Republican Party were mixed, while Democrats criticized his handling of the meeting. The U.S. president stated, “I hope people will remember me as a peacemaker.”

Earlier, the American president had told his Ukrainian counterpart that his soldiers had shown incredible bravery and that the U.S. wanted to see an end to the fighting, with funds being used “differently, such as for rebuilding.”

Over the past weeks, Trump had criticized Zelensky’s handling of the war, calling him a “dictator” and urging him to agree to a mining deal. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev appeared to enjoy the spectacle, writing on Telegram that the Ukrainian leader had received “a harsh reprimand.”

Following the talks, Trump instructed two of his senior aides to inform Zelensky that it was time to leave, even as attendees were preparing to serve lunch to the delegations, according to a White House official.

The same official added that orders were given for the Ukrainians to leave despite their desire to continue the discussions.

The Ukrainian president, who had received billions of dollars in U.S. weapons and moral support from the Biden administration, now faces a drastically different situation with the current U.S. president. The latter wants to end the three-year-long war quickly, improve relations with Russia, and reclaim the funds Washington has spent on supporting Ukraine.

While Ukraine has rapidly expanded its defense industry, it remains heavily reliant on foreign military aid.

Although Ukraine repelled the Russian invasion from the outskirts of Kyiv and regained vast territories in 2022, Russia still controls about one-fifth of Ukraine’s land and has been making slow advances since Ukraine’s failed counteroffensive in 2023.

In 2024, Ukrainian forces took control of a portion of land in Russia’s western Kursk region following an incursion.