A meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy drifted sharply in front of television cameras as the U.S. president condemned his Ukrainian counterpart and then suddenly canceled the deal with minerals, which he said would be the first step in a ceasefire with Russia.
Here are the highlights of the conversation between Trump, Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office.
Zelenskyy: What kind of diplomacy are you asking about, JD? What do you mean?
Vance: I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that will end the destruction of your country.
Zelenskyy: Yes, but if you…
Vance: Mr. President, I don’t think you respect your coming to the Oval Office and trying to litigate in front of the American media. Currently, you are moving around and forcing the recruits to the frontline because of your human labor. You should thank the President.
Zelenskyy: Have you ever been to Ukraine to see the problems we have?
Vance: I actually saw and watched these stories and I knew what would happen to get people on a propaganda tour, Mr. President.
Do you disagree with the problem of bringing military personnel into the military, and do you think it is respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the government trying to prevent the destruction of your country?
Zelenskyy: First of all, during the war, everyone has problems, even you. You have a good solution, don’t think [it] Now, but you will feel it in the future.
trump card:you do not know. Don’t tell us how we feel. We are trying to solve the problem. Don’t tell us how we feel.
Zelenskyy: I’m not telling you, I’m answering…
Vance: This is exactly what you are doing…
Trump, raise your voice: You have no right to decide what we are going to feel. We will feel very good and very strong.
Zelenskyy tried to speak.
trump card: Your current location is not very good. You have put yourself in a very bad position. You don’t have a card now. With us, you start to have the cards.
You are gambling the lives of millions, you are gambling with World War III, and what you do is very disrespectful to this country.
Vance: Have you ever said thank you once?
Zelenskyy: Many times.
Vance: No, at this meeting, the whole meeting? Offer some appreciation to the United States of America and the president who is trying to save your country.
Zelenskyy: Yes, you think, if you talk about war loudly…
trump card: He didn’t speak loudly. Your country is in great trouble. No, no, you’ve done a lot of conversations. Your country is in great trouble.
Zelenskyy: I know, I know.
trump card: You didn’t win this. Thanks to us, you have a great opportunity to come out.
Zelenskyy: We have been strong since the beginning of the war, we have been alone, we said, I said, thank you.
Trump, speaking on Zelenskyy: You are not alone… We have given you military equipment. Your men are brave, but they have our army. If you do not have our military equipment, this war will end in two weeks.
Zelenskyy: I heard it from Putin three days later.
trump card: Such a business will be a difficult thing.
Vance: Just say thank you.
Zelenskyy: I said it many times.
Vance: Accept that there are differences, let’s go and sue these differences, rather than trying to fight them in the US media when you are wrong. We know you are wrong.
trump card: You were buried there. Your man is dying. Your soldiers run lower. No, listen…and then you tell us, ‘I don’t want a ceasefire. I don’t want a ceasefire. I want to go, I want this.
trump card: You didn’t perform at all. That’s not a good thing. Honestly, this is not a good thing.
OK, I think we’ve seen enough. What do you think? Great TV. I’ll say that.
