Written By Mohamad El Baba
Last Friday, the Oval Office at the White House witnessed a heated verbal altercation between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, with the participation of Vice President Geddy Vance.
The confrontation began when Trump asked Zelensky to show more “gratitude” for US support, indicating that Ukraine is not in a position to impose conditions, and that Ukraine is not strong without US aid, while Zelensky responded that Ukraine is fighting hard and that it was fighting alone at the beginning of the war.
During the meeting, Trump accused Zelensky of risking igniting a third world war after he confirmed that Ukraine would fight until security guarantees were obtained, and Zelensky invited US Vice President Vance to visit Ukraine to see the truth of the matter because they are not speaking with correct information, which led to an escalation of tensions..
What happened in the White House and how did Zelensky leave?
After the journalists left the Oval Office in the White House, Zelensky told Trump that his information was misleading and he could not defend Putin, as Putin is a murderer and he started the war, and do not hold me responsible for the war. Trump got angry and left for his office. Then Zelensky looked at his office manager and uttered words in Ukrainian, and said to his office manager, how can I sign an agreement in this tense atmosphere? They want to destroy me in front of the world. Here, the Ukrainian ambassador in Washington (who worked hard to prepare for the visit) intervened to ask for some time to calm things down. Zelensky told the US Secretary of State to postpone signing the agreement until after lunch. The Secretary of State and the National Security Advisor entered Trump’s office, where he was with his deputy, Vance, at a time when Zelensky was very agitated. They returned and their answer was, “Sign the agreement in a little while” and then we will talk. Zelensky took the initiative to speak emotionally with his staff, considering that this was an insult to leave him and his staff alone, as the guest president usually does not stay in the White House without the presence of the president according to protocol, so he refused. Zelensky repeated his request to meet with Trump and sign after that as previously arranged, and the answer was direct: either sign now or leave the White House. Zelensky immediately informed them that he was leaving and was very angry and said now the real intentions have appeared, Trump wants to present Ukraine to Putin, and he asked his team to leave and they left…
Cancellation of the metals agreement
After that, a White House official said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky left the US presidential headquarters early on Friday after a contentious meeting in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump.
He added that Zelensky and Trump did not sign the metals agreement.
He stated that Trump does not rule out reaching an agreement provided that Ukraine is ready to have a constructive conversation.
The official said that it is up to the Ukrainians whether it is possible to set a new date for the joint press conference that was canceled while Zelensky remained in the United States.
Trump told Zelensky that his remarks were deeply disrespectful, accusing him of putting himself in a corner and having no bargaining chips, telling him, “You should say thank you.”
This public confrontation sparked widespread international reactions, with European countries expressing their support for Zelensky, while Russia welcomed Trump’s rebuke of the Ukrainian president.
An analysis of body language during the meeting showed clear tension between the two leaders, reflecting the depth of their differences.
The Truth About the Disagreement
The disagreement between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump is not new, but rather goes back mainly to the “Ukrainegate” case that led to Trump’s first impeachment trial in 2019.
Among the reasons that fueled the disagreement between the two men are several matters, the first of which is the issue of pressure on Zelensky. In July 2019, Trump made a phone call with Zelensky, during which he asked him to open an investigation against Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s son, who worked for a Ukrainian gas company (Burisma). This was at a time when Biden was a strong contender in the 2020 US presidential election, but Zelensky did not succumb to this pressure, especially since before this call, the Trump administration had frozen $400 million in military aid that was allocated to Ukraine.
Trump was accused of using this aid as a means of pressure to force Zelensky to announce an investigation into the Biden family. When this call was revealed by an anonymous whistleblower, it led to congressional investigations, resulting in Trump’s impeachment proceedings in December 2019 on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, but the Republican-controlled Senate acquitted him in February 2020. After Trump left office, he repeatedly criticized Zelensky, claiming that Russia would not have invaded Ukraine if he had been president. He also suggested that Zelensky was not “grateful” for his previous support.
The dispute between Zelensky and Trump was part of the internal American political struggle, but it affected US-Ukrainian relations at a time when Kiev was in dire need of Washington’s support, especially in the face of Russian threats.
European response
Following the heated verbal exchange between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, a number of European leaders expressed their solidarity with Zelensky and their continued support for Ukraine.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Charles Michel, President of the European Council, declared in a joint statement their unwavering support for Ukraine, stressing: “You will never be alone. Be strong, be brave, be courageous. We will continue to work with you for a just and lasting peace.”
French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that “there is an aggressor, Russia, and an aggressed people, Ukraine,” adding: “I believe that we were all right to help Ukraine and punish Russia three years ago, and we continue to do so.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reiterated his support for Ukraine, saying: “Dear Zelensky, my dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed His solidarity with Ukraine, tweeting: “Ukraine, Spain stands with you.”
Kaya Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, stated that “the free world needs a new leader,” noting the need to intensify European support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.
In addition, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron called for a month-long truce between Ukraine and Russia, with a focus on increasing European defense spending to ensure stability in the region.
These statements demonstrate the commitment of European leaders to supporting Ukraine, especially in light of recent tensions with the United States, and their efforts to enhance security and stability in Europe.
A European summit was held in London on Sunday, March 2, 2025, with the participation of about 15 leaders of countries allied with Ukraine, with the aim of strengthening support for Kiev and discussing European security in light of ongoing tensions with Russia.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the meeting as a “historic moment” for European security, stressing the need to intensify defense efforts to ensure stability on the continent. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to continuing military and economic support for Ukraine, while increasing European defense spending.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who attended the summit after a tense meeting with US President Donald Trump, expressed his appreciation for the continued European support. He noted that this support has reached levels not seen in a long time.
For its part, the Kremlin criticized the results of the summit, considering that the financial pledges made will prolong the conflict rather than achieve peace.
The summit stressed the importance of European unity in addressing security challenges, with a focus on strengthening defense capabilities and providing continued support to Ukraine to ensure its sovereignty and regional stability.
