Ukraine talks collapse: US President Donald Trump on Friday accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of “disrespecting” the US in its “cherished Oval Office.” Trump’s statement following after his meeting with Zelenskyy that was supposed to culminate in a minerals deal between the US and Ukraine.
While terming his meeting with Zelenskyy as “meaningful,” Trump acknowledged, “Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure.”
Zelenskyy is not ready for peace: Trump
The US President underscored, “It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage; I want PEACE.”
In a direct jab at Zelenskyy, Trump added, “He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for peace.”
The last 10 minutes of the nearly 45-minute engagement devolved into a tense back and forth between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Zelenskyy — who had urged scepticism about Russia's commitment to diplomacy, citing Moscow's years of broken commitments on the global stage.
'Disrespectful for you to...': Vance to Zelenskyy at Oval Office
It began with Vance telling Zelenskyy, “Mr. President, with respect. I think it's disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.”
Zelensky tried to object, prompting Trump to raise his voice and say, “You're gambling with the lives of millions of people.”
“You're gambling with World War III, and what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that's backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have,” Trump said.
(With AP inputs)
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