I respect the president and I respect the American people,” the Ukrainian leader said in the interview, without admitting fault.
During a conversation in front of cameras, relations broke down as Trump and Zelensky started arguing in front of reporters, leading to Vance jumping in and scolding Zelensky, accusing him of campaigning with Democrats in 2024 and not being "thankful" for U.S. support to fight off the Russian invasion.
Some suggest the entire Oval Office blowup at Zelensky was a ploy designed by the Trump administration to justify and message its wavering support for Ukraine. If so, this manipulation ignores the fact that for three years,
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on March 1 for President Volodymyr Zelensky to mend relations with U.S. President Donald Trump following a tense exchange in White House a day prior. Zelensky left Washington early without signing a mineral deal with the United States following a tense argument in front of journalists between the two
White House officials were expecting a positive meeting and said they had little reason to anticipate animosity before things deteriorated.