An Oval Office meeting with President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy grew contentious Friday, as Mr. Trump threatened Zelenskyy to make a deal with Russia, or “we’re out,” and Vance accused the Ukrainian leader of being “disrespectful.”
The heated exchanges came ahead of what was an anticipated rare minerals deal signing between the two countries, and as Mr. Trump pressures Ukraine to end the war Russia began.
Vance said during the course of the meeting that the world has reached this point in part because of the Biden administration’s actions, and said it was time for diplomacy.
“What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about,” Zelenskyy asked Vance, suggesting that Russia has broken its promises before in prior agreements.
Vance retorted that it’s “disrespectful” for Zelenskyy to try to “litigate” his case in front of the American media.
“You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict,” Vance told Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy asked Vance if he’d ever been to Ukraine.
Vane said he’s watched videos of what’s happened in Ukraine, accusing Zelenskyy of bringing people on a “propaganda tour” when they visit Ukraine.
“Do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?” Vance asked.
Zelenskyy, noting that for now, the U.S. is separated from the fighting by an ocean, said of the war, “You don’t feel it now, but you’ll feel it in the future.”
“You don’t know that,” Mr. Trump retorted. “You don’t know that. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re gonna feel, because you’re in no position to dictate that. You’re in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel. We’re going to feel very good.”
“You don’t have the cards right now,” Mr. Trump said, as Zelenskyy continued to interject and disagree. “With us, you start having cards. Right now, you don’t have your playing cards,you’re playing cards — you’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. “You’re gambling with World War III. You’re gambling with World War III.”
“Have you said thank you once, this entire meeting? No, in this entire meeting, have you said thank you?” Vance said.
Zelenskyy kept his voice measured throughout the entire exchange, even as Mr. Trump and Vance at times raised their voices.
“Please,” Zelenskyy said. “You think that if you will speak very loudly about the war—”
Mr. Trump cut off Zelenskyy and said his country is in “big trouble” but “you have a damn good chance of coming out okay because of us.”
Zelenskyy said his country has stayed strong from the beginning of the war, and Ukrainians are thankful.
“It’s going to be a very hard thing to do business like this,” Mr. Trump said, as Vance again chided Zelenskyy about saying “thank you.”
Mr. Trump said it’s “good” for the American people to see what’s going on.
“You have to be thankful,” Mr. Trump said. “You don’t have the cards. You’re buried there, people are dying, you’re running low on soldiers.”
Zelenskyy said Ukraine wants the war to end but must have security assurances along with any sort of ceasefire agreement.
Amid the chaos, a reporter asked — what if Russia violates a ceasefire?
“What if anything?” Mr. Trump responded. “What if a bomb drops on your head right now? Okay?”
Earlier in the Oval Office meeting
Earlier in the meeting, Mr. Trump said he and Zelenskyy would sign the agreement at a joint news conference after lunch. Mr. Trump said the U.S. would be “digging, digging and digging” to access Ukraine’s rare minerals, in a deal Mr. Trump has described as payback to the U.S. taxpayers for their financial assistance in Ukraine.
Mr. Trump told Zelenskyy at the beginning of their Oval Office meeting that “it’s an honor to have you here.” But disagreements remain between the two leaders. Mr. Trump recently called for modifications to funding for Ukraine and blasted Zelenskyy as a “dictator,” without applying the same label to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In the Oval Office, a reporter asked Zelenskyy if he thinks the U.S. is on his side. Mr. Trump called it a stupid question. The Ukrainian president said the U.S. has been on his country’s side the whole time.
What to know about Zelenskyy’s White House visit
Mr. Trump mentioned earlier this week that the U.S. had reached a deal with Zelenskyy on a broad framework for sharing Ukraine’s mineral resources, and that the Ukrainian leader was coming to the White House because he “would like to sign it together with me.” Negotiations over the minerals continued despite public tension between the two leaders in recent days. Mr. Trump appeared to blame Ukraine for the war Russia started and labeled Zelenskyy a “dictator,” while declining to say the same of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
One Ukrainian official told CBS News Kyiv hopes the signing of the agreement would ensure the continued flow of security support that Ukraine needs. Mr. Trump said Thursday the deal would help pay back American taxpayers for supporting Ukraine over the past three years.
In a post on X Wednesday, Zelenskyy wrote, “Peace and security guarantees are the key to ensuring that Russia can no longer destroy the lives of other nations.” He added, “For me and for all of us in the world, it’s important that U.S. support is not stopped. Strength is needed on the path to peace.”
Mr. Trump spoke with Putin earlier this month and said the Russian leader wants an end to the war. Last week, the president said he trusts Russia to negotiate in good faith, as top Trump administration officials met with Russian negotiators in Saudi Arabia without a Ukrainian representative. The president on Thursday said he believes Putin would comply with any peace agreement reached.
“I don’t believe he’s going to violate his word,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump last week called Zelenskyy a “dictator,” referring to the fact that the Ukrainian leader’s five-year term expired last year, and no new election has been held. Ukraine has been under martial law since soon after the war started in 2022, and the country’s constitution bans elections during martial law. On Monday, during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr. Trump was asked whether he views Putin as a dictator, since he called Zelenskyy one.
“I don’t use those words lightly, I think that we’re going to see how it all works out,” he replied. “Let’s see what happens.”
Mr. Trump has even cast blame on Kyiv for being invaded by Russia.
“You should have never started it, you could have made a deal,” Mr. Trump said of Ukraine last week.
Top Trump administration officials have also been reluctant to criticize Putin. National security adviser Mike Waltz didn’t answer directly when a reporter asked him if Mr. Trump views Putin as a dictator. He also sidestepped a question about who bears more responsibility for the war, Russia or Ukraine.
Referring to Mr. Trump, Waltz replied, “His goal here is to bring this war to an end, period.”
The president frequently says the war never would have started if he had been president, rather than Joe Biden. On the campaign trail, Mr. Trump vowed he would end the war between Russia and Ukraine before even taking office.
“Before I even arrive at the Oval Office, shortly after we win the presidency, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled,” Mr. Trump said at a June rally. “I will get it settled before I even become president.”
But after winning the election, Mr. Trump suggested that reaching peace between Russia and Ukraine might be more difficult than forging peace in the Middle East.
“I think actually more difficult is going to be the Russia-Ukraine situation,” Mr. Trump said in December. “I see that as more difficult.”
Earlier this week, Zelenskyy said he would give up the presidency if doing so would achieve lasting peace for Ukraine and membership in NATO.
“If to achieve peace, you really need me to give up my post, I’m ready,” Zelenskyy said at a forum marking the three-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
How to watch Trump Zelenskyy minerals deal signing and news conference
- What: President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sign a rare earth mineral deal and hold a news conference.
- Date: Feb. 28, 2025
- Time: 1 p.m. ET
- Location: The White House
- Online stream: Live on CBSN – in the player above and on your mobile or streaming device