On Friday, Trump threatened Zelenskyy to reach a deal with Russia, or “we go out”, while Ukrainian leaders accused Ukrainian leaders of “disrespect”, and the Oval Office meeting became controversial with President Trump, Vice President Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday.
The fierce exchanges led the expected rare mineral transactions between the two countries, with signing between the two countries as Mr. Trump put pressure on Ukraine to end the Russian war.
Vance said during the meeting that the world has reached this point, partly because of the actions of the Biden administration and said it was time for diplomacy.
Zelenskyy asked Vance: “What kind of diplomacy is JD, JD, you are talking about it.
Vance retorted that Zelenskyy's attempt to “litigate” his case in front of the American media was “disrespectful”.
“You should thank the president for trying to end this conflict,” Vance told Zelenskyy.
Earlier in the meeting, Mr. Trump said he and Zelenskyy would sign the agreement at a joint press conference after lunch. Mr Trump said the United States will “excavate, dig and dig” to obtain rare minerals in Ukraine, and Mr Trump said in a deal that the return to U.S. taxpayers is financial aid in Ukraine.
Mr. Trump told Zelenskyy at the beginning of the Oval Office meeting, “It's an honor to have you here.” But there is still a disagreement between the two leaders. Mr. Trump recently called for amendments to fund Ukraine and bomb Zelenskyy as a “dictator” without applying the same label to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In the Oval Office, a reporter asked Zelenskyy if he thought the United States was with him. Mr. Trump called it a stupid question. The Ukrainian president said the United States has always been in his country.
How to know about Zelenskyy's White House visit
Mr Trump mentioned earlier this week that the U.S. has reached a deal with Zelenskyy to share Ukraine’s broad framework Mineral Resourcesthe Ukrainian leader came to the White House because he “wanted to sign with me”. Negotiations are still taking place on minerals despite public tensions between the two leaders in recent days. Mr. Trump appears to blame the beginning of the Russian war and label Zelensky as a “dictator”, while refusing to say that so is Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A Ukrainian official told CBS News that Kiev hopes the signing of the agreement will ensure the continued flow of security support Ukraine needs. Mr Trump said Thursday the deal would help repay U.S. taxpayers who have supported Ukraine over the past three years.
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“Peace and security assurance is the key to ensuring that Russia can no longer destroy the lives of other countries,” Zelenskyy wrote in an article on Wednesday. He added: “For me and all of us in the world, we should not stop our support. We need strength on the road to peace.”
Mr. Trump spoke with Putin earlier this month and said Russian leaders hoped to end the war. Last week, the president said he believed Russia met with Russian negotiators in Saudi Arabia without Ukraine’s representative, so he trusted Russia to negotiate. The president said on Thursday that he believed Putin would abide by any peace agreement.
“I don't believe he will violate his words,” Trump said.
Mr. Trump last week Call Zelenskyy a “dictator”, It refers to the five-year term of Ukrainian leaders expired last year and no new elections were held. Ukraine has been under martial law shortly after the war began in 2022, and the country's constitution prohibits martial law orders. On Monday, during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr. Trump was asked whether he saw Putin as a dictator because he called Zelenskyy a dictator.
“I won't use these words easily, I think we're going to see how everything works,” he replied. “Let's see what happens.”
Mr. Trump even blamed Kyiv for being invaded by Russia.
“You should never start, you could have reached a deal,” Trump said last week of Ukraine.
Officials in Trump's supreme administration are unwilling to criticize Putin. When the reporter asked him if he believed Putin was a dictator, national security adviser Mike Waltz did not directly answer. He also evaded a question about who takes more responsibility for the war, Russia or Ukraine.
“His goal is to make this war end, period,” Walz said when referring to Mr. Trump.
The President often talks about war Never start If he had been president, not Joe Biden. During the campaign, Mr. Trump vowed that he would end the war between Russia and Ukraine before taking office.
“I will be fighting a horrible war between Russia and Ukraine shortly after I won the presidency, before I even arrive at the Oval Office,” Trump said at a rally in June. “I will settle it before I even become president.”
But after winning the election, Mr. Trump suggested that it might be more difficult to reach peace between Russia and Ukraine than to establish peace in the Middle East.
“I think what's actually more difficult is the situation in Russia-Ukraine,” Trump said in December. “I think it's more difficult.”
Zelenskyy said earlier this week that he would give up his presidency if it did so would achieve lasting peace and NATO membership.
“If peace is to be achieved, you really need me to give up on the post, I'm ready,” Zelenskyy said on a forum.
How to watch Trump's Zelenskyy mineral transaction signature and press conference
- What: President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a rare earth mineral agreement and held a press conference.
- date: February 28, 2025
- time: 1 pm ET
- Place: White House
- Online streaming: Living on CBSN – in the player above and on your mobile or streaming device
