WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 All it took was 90 seconds for weeks of tortured diplomacy to unwind in spectacular fashion.
President Donald Trump鈥檚 Oval Office thrashing of Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday laid bare the limits of a full-court press by America鈥檚 allies aimed at reshaping Trump鈥檚 Russia鈥檚 invasion even if the terms are not to Ukraine鈥檚 liking.
It also stressed the profound ways Trump feels emboldened to redirect U.S. foreign policy priorities toward his 鈥淎merica First鈥 agenda in ways that extend well beyond those of his tumultuous first term.
President Donald Trump cut short talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after he and Vice President JD Vance berated the Ukrainian leader in the Oval Office. (AP Video / Feb. 28, 2025)
The sudden blowup was the most heated public exchange of words between world leaders in the Oval Office in memory, as the usual staid work of diplomacy descended into finger-pointing, shouting and eye-rolling.
The encounter left the future of the U.S.-Ukraine relationship, and Kyiv鈥檚 ability to defend itself in the brutal conflict with Russia, in mortal jeopardy.
鈥淵ou either make a deal or we are out,鈥 Trump told Zelenskyy, underscoring the American leader鈥檚 plans to dictate a swift end to the war or leave its longtime ally to continue the fight without its strongest backer.
Less than a day later, Zelenskyy used a series of posts on X to express his thanks to the American people, Trump and Congress for 鈥渁ll the support,” which he said Ukrainians 鈥渉ave always appreciated,” especially during the war.
鈥淥ur relationship with the American President is more than just two leaders; it鈥檚 a historic and solid bond between our peoples. That鈥檚 why I always begin with words of gratitude from our nation to the American nation,鈥 he added. Ukrainians want 鈥渙nly strong relations with America, and I really hope we will have them,鈥 he said.
Zelenskyy was in London to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer before a summit Sunday of European leaders.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine won鈥檛 enter peace talks with Russia until it has security guarantees against another offensive. Zelenskyy added Friday's contentious spat with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office was 鈥渘ot good for both sides.鈥 (AP Video / March 1, 2025)
Episode聽capped intense lobbying effort by American allies
The stunning episode in Washington had capped a week of what turned out to be largely futile efforts by U.S. allies to paper over differences between Washington and Kyiv and to try to steer Trump away from his
On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron to lay the groundwork for an eventual European-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine aimed at deterring future Russian aggression and to encourage the U.S. president to be more skeptical of Vladimir Putin.
But even as Trump and Macron greeted each other with a vise-like grip, the U.S. was at the United Nations by refusing to blame Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in a series of resolutions marking the third anniversary of the war.
On Thursday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and appealed to Trump for a U.S. 鈥渂ackstop鈥 for European nations who would provide front-line security for Ukraine. He was in essence looking for insurance that, should a peace deal be reached, Russia won鈥檛 restart the fighting in the future. Starmer from King Charles III to soften the ask.
The approach seemed to work, as Trump struck a more conciliatory tone toward Ukraine, calling America鈥檚 support for the country against Russia鈥檚 invasion 鈥渁 very worthy thing to do鈥 and disclaiming any memory that he had called the Ukrainian leader a 鈥渄ictator.鈥
But Trump also brushed aside Putin鈥檚 past broken diplomatic promises, claiming they occurred under different presidents, and saying the Russian leader had never violated a commitment to him. It came as his aides were planning a series of negotiating sessions with Russian officials to lay the groundwork for a potential meeting between Trump and Putin in the coming weeks.
Mineral deal pursued by Trump goes by the wayside, for now
All the while, Trump was focused on in Ukraine鈥檚 critical minerals to recoup the tens of billions the U.S. has given to Kyiv to defend itself. Zelenskyy, meanwhile, wanted more than Washington鈥檚 vague promises that the U.S. would work to preserve its economic interest in Ukraine under the agreement and pushed for more concrete security guarantees.
But Trump would not budge, and U.S. officials repeatedly said Zelenskyy would not be welcome to meet with the president to discuss Trump鈥檚 push for negotiations with Russia until it was signed. After weeks of browbeating, Zelenskyy鈥檚 government on Wednesday to the proposal, clearing the path for Friday鈥檚 meeting.
It started off cordially enough, as Trump and Zelenskyy spoke politely, even with admiration, of one of another for the first half-hour of the meeting. Trump even suggested he would continue some military assistance to Ukraine until he could secure an enduring peace deal with Russia.
But when the Ukrainian leader raised alarm about trusting any promises from Putin to end the fighting, Vice President JD Vance rebuked him for airing disagreements with Trump in public. It instantly shifted the tenor of the conversation. Zelenskyy grew defensive, and Trump and his vice president blasted him as ungrateful and 鈥渄isrespectful鈥 and issued stark warnings about future American support.
A warning before the meeting 鈥榥ot to take the bait鈥
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a defense hawk and Trump ally, said he had warned Zelenskyy before the meeting 鈥渘ot to take the bait鈥 in his dealings with Trump, who has repeatedly shown a penchant for throwing criticism but a deep resistance to receiving it.
It was Vance 鈥 a 鈥 who dangled it, when he insisted diplomacy was the only way forward.
鈥淲hat kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about?鈥 Zelenskyy said, listing Russia鈥檚 past violations of ceasefires. 鈥淲hat do you mean?鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 talking about the kind of diplomacy that鈥檚 going to end the destruction of your country,鈥 Vance responded before tearing into the Ukrainian leader. 鈥淢r. President, with respect, I think it鈥檚 disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.鈥
Trump then let loose, warning the Ukrainian leader, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e gambling with World War III, and what you鈥檙e doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that鈥檚 backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have.鈥
At another point, Trump declared himself 鈥渋n the middle,鈥 seeming to formally break from years of American support for Ukraine. He went on to deride Zelenskyy鈥檚 鈥渉atred鈥 for Putin as a roadblock to peace.
鈥淵ou see the hatred he鈥檚 got for Putin,鈥 Trump said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 very tough for me to make a deal with that kind of hate.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a very hard thing to do business like this,鈥 Trump said to Zelenskyy as the two leaders talked over each other.
Latest example of major shift in US foreign policy
The episode was just the latest instance of Trump’s brazen moves to shift long-held American policy positions in his first six weeks back in office, portending even more uncertainty ahead for longtime American allies and partners who have already felt pressed to justify their place in Trump’s eyes. It comes just weeks after Trump floated a permanent relocation of Palestinians in Gaza and an American takeover of the territory, and as he has doubled down on plans to put stiff tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada starting next week.
After the Oval Office dustup, Zelenskyy was asked to leave the White House by top Trump advisers 鈥 scrapping plans for a lunch, a joint press conference and the signing of the economic agreement, even as the Ukrainian leader and his aides pushed for a 鈥渞eset鈥 on the meeting.
Trump later told reporters he didn鈥檛 want to 鈥渆mbolden鈥 the Ukrainian leader if he didn鈥檛 want 鈥減eace鈥 with Russia 鈥 flipping what Ukraine had seen as an inducement for security guarantees into a cudgel.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 embolden somebody who does not have the cards,鈥 Trump said.
After the disastrous encounter, Zelenskyy appeared on Fox News on Friday evening and told Bret Baier that his public spat with Trump and Vance was 鈥渘ot good for both sides.鈥 But Zelenskyy said Trump 鈥 who insists Putin is ready to end the three-year grinding war 鈥 needs to understand that Ukraine can鈥檛 change its attitudes toward Russia on a dime.
Zelenskyy added that Ukraine won鈥檛 enter peace talks with Russia until it has security guarantees against another offensive.
鈥淓verybody (is) afraid Putin will come back tomorrow,鈥 Zelenskyy said. 鈥淲e want just and lasting peace.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 so sensitive for our people,鈥 Zelenskyy said. 鈥淎nd they just want to hear that America (is) on our side, that America will stay with us. Not with Russia, with us. That鈥檚 it.鈥
Zelenskyy acknowledged that without U.S. support, his country鈥檚 position would grow 鈥渄ifficult.鈥
After repeatedly declining opportunities to apologize to Trump, Zelensky closed his Fox appearance with a sheepish expression of remorse as he struggled with the reality of Trump’s new direction in Washington: 鈥淪orry for this.”
