Trump-Zelenskyy meet becomes shouting match, Ukraine president asked to leave
What's the story
A high-stakes meeting between United States President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday spiraled into a heated confrontation.
The discussion, initially aimed at securing a critical mineral agreement and US backing against Russia's invasion, quickly devolved into a shouting match with no deal signed or joint statement issued.
The situation escalated when Vice President JD Vance accused Zelenskyy of being disrespectful.
Tense exchange
Trump warns Zelenskyy of World War III risks
As tensions escalated, Trump warned Zelenskyy, "You're gambling with World War III."
The press event took an unanticipated turn when Trump was asked about his attitude toward Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Defending his approach, Trump said he was siding with both leaders in the interest of peace.
This came despite recent accusations of him being too friendly with Putin and terming Zelenskyy a "dictator."
Diplomatic dispute
Zelenskyy challenges US diplomacy, meeting ends abruptly
In a key moment, Zelenskyy challenged Vance's idea of diplomacy, pointing to Putin's record of violating ceasefire agreements.
Vance replied by stressing the importance of diplomacy to end Ukraine's destruction and accused Zelenskyy of disrespecting the Oval Office by litigating issues in front of American media.
The meeting concluded abruptly without a planned joint media address or lunch between Trump and Zelenskyy's delegations.
After the face-off, Zelenskyy's delegation was asked to leave the White House.
Post-meeting reactions
Trump accuses Zelenskyy of seeking advantage in negotiations
After the meeting, Trump took to Truth Social, saying Zelenskyy is "not ready for peace if America is involved." He accused Zelenskyy of wanting an upper hand in negotiations because of US involvement.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy thanked the American people after exiting the White House and reiterated Ukraine's need for security guarantees before entering peace talks with Russia.
The incident has thrown future US-Ukraine relations into uncertainty.
Global response
World leaders react to Trump-Zelenskyy confrontation
The fallout of the disastrous Trump-Zelenskyy meeting was immediate with world leaders taking to social media and official channels to respond.
French President Emmanuel Macron stressed continued Western support for Ukraine.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store termed the incident "serious and disheartening," while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed solidarity with Ukraine.
Meanwhile, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev welcomed the confrontation.