*United States President Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, clash in an ‘extraordinary shouting match’ in the Oval Office of the White House, as the former reportedly insists ‘a minerals deal’ for Washington to recoup the billions of Dollars the American country has given Ukraine in military and other aid amid the Russian-Ukraine war

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

United States (US) President Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, Friday, February 28, 2025, clashed in what has been described as “an extraordinary shouting match” in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington.

The confrontation between the leaders has left efforts at ending the Russian-Ukraine war hanging in the balance, agency report said.

Zelensky was at the White House to sign a deal on sharing Ukraine’s mineral riches and discuss a peace deal with Russia, despite the US President recently branding his Ukrainian counterpart a dictator.

The meeting came after a week-long diplomatic dance that has also seen the leaders of France and Britain come to the White House to persuade Trump not to abandon Kyiv.

However, furious President Trump reportedly told Zelensky 鈥測ou鈥檙e either going to make a deal or we鈥檙e out”, at the meeting meant to ease tensions over the sudden US outreach to Russia ended up inflaming them.

The US President also averred: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e gambling with the lives of millions of people.

“You鈥檙e gambling with World War Three, and what you鈥檙e doing is very disrespectful to this country.”

Zelensky asks: ‘What kind of diplomacy?’

It was gathered tempers frayed after US Vice-President JD Vance said that 鈥渄iplomacy鈥� was needed to end the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war.

But Zelensky asked: 鈥淲hat kind of diplomacy鈥� and Vance then accused him of being 鈥渄isrespectful鈥� in the US President鈥檚 office.

Trump then, backed up his Vice-President as the two leaders argued about whether the US had failed to stop Putin after the 2014 annexation of Crimea, and the situation became increasingly tense.

Trump, again, fired another salvo, saying the Ukrainian President is not acting in the face of the situation in his country.

“You鈥檙e not acting at all thankful.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a very hard thing to do business like this.”

“It鈥檚 going to be a tough deal to make because the attitudes have to change,鈥� Trump asserted.

Zelensky fought his corner with Trump in a calmer voice, accusing them of 鈥渟peaking loudly,” AFP report said.

Trump had alarmed US allies and upended Washington鈥檚 longstanding Ukraine policy two weeks ago when he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and started talks on ending the three-year-old war 鈥� without Kyiv鈥檚 involvement.

Trump told reporters on Friday he had since spoken on 鈥渘umerous occasions鈥� to Putin.

What does US want from Ukraine for continued support?

US President Trump has demanded a deal granting Washington “preferential access” to Ukraine鈥檚 rare-earth, and other natural resources as the price for any continued backing 鈥� even though he has refused to commit to giving Kyiv security guarantees as part of a truce with Russia.

鈥淲e鈥檒l be dig, dig, digging鈥� for Ukraine鈥檚 resources, Trump said on Thursday ahead of the meeting 鈥� echoing his presidential election campaign slogan about how the United States would 鈥渄rill, baby, drill鈥� for oil.

The clash came despite Trump recently softening his tone on Zelensky in recent days, after berating him last week as a 鈥渄ictator without elections鈥�, blaming Ukraine for Russia鈥檚 February 2022 invasion and echoing a series of Kremlin talking points about the war.

Trump said of Zelensky last Thursday at a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer that “I have a lot of respect for him (Zelensky).

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to get along really well.鈥�

Trump, a billionaire real estate tycoon, insists the minerals deal is necessary for Washington to recoup the billions of Dollars it has given Ukraine in military and other aid, according to report.

Zelensky said ahead of his arrival in Washington that US and Ukrainian officials would determine the nature of security guarantees for Ukraine and the exact sums of money at stake in the accord.

But Trump 鈥� who said this week he trusts Putin to 鈥渒eep his word鈥� on any ceasefire and has repeatedly expressed admiration for the authoritarian Russian leader in the past 鈥� has refused to commit on security, report said.

Britain and France have both offered peacekeepers in the event of a deal to end the Ukraine war but say there must be a US 鈥渂ackstop鈥� 鈥� including American intelligence and possibly air power.

Putin and Trump said after their February 12 phone call that they had agreed to meet personally 鈥� but they have not finalised any meeting yet.

But as tensions between Moscow and Washington eased, Russia鈥檚 assault on Ukraine continued.

Report further indicated the Russian infantry Friday stormed the Ukrainian border from the Russian region of Kursk, near areas of the region that were seized last summer by Ukrainian forces, Kyiv said.

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