Trump-Zelenskyy White House Meeting on Mineral Deal Devolves Into Shouting Match

A White House meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy aiming to secure a deal that would allow the U.S. access to Ukrainian rare mineral rights turned into a shouting match between the two leaders with Trump threatening Zelenskyy with “You’re either going to make a deal or we’re out.”

In a statement on social media following the meeting, Trump indicated the proposed deal is off.

“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,” Trump wrote.

“He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”

The heated exchange, witnessed by dozens of American and Ukrainian reporters in the Oval Office, took a combative tone around 40 minutes in when Zelenskyy raised Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance immediately criticized Zelenskyy, accusing him of engaging in a “propaganda tour.”

“I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media,” he told Zelenskyy.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to U.S. Vice President JD Vance as they meet with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Feb. 28, 2025.

Both Vance and Trump accused the Ukrainian leader of not being thankful for the assistance his country has received from Washington.

“You don’t have the cards right now,” Trump said, raising his voice as Zelenskyy tried to rebut him. “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III.”

Zelenskyy left the White House early without participating in a scheduled joint press conference.

Rare minerals deal

Before the meeting devolved, Trump said he was close to signing the deal with Zelenskyy.

“We have something that is a very fair deal, and we look forward to getting in and digging, digging, digging, and working and getting some of the rare earth,” Trump told a visibly uncomfortable Zelenskyy.

The deal includes provisions for the co-ownership and management of a post-war reconstruction fund for Ukraine, to which Ukraine will allocate 50% of future revenues from the country’s natural resources.

Trump has characterized the minerals deal as a type of “backstop” in lieu of the security guarantees where the U.S. supports European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine after its war with Russia ends.

“It means we’re going to be inside, and it’s a big commitment from the United States,” he said.

The agreement states that the U.S. will maintain a “long-term financial commitment to the development of a stable and economically prosperous Ukraine.” It makes no direct reference to efforts to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or about future security arrangements, apart from a single line: “The Government of the United States of America supports Ukraine’s efforts to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace.”

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy departs the White House in Washington, Feb. 28, 2025.

Beyond the minerals deal, Trump has been non-committal on providing any security guarantees to support European peacekeepers to enforce a future truce between Ukraine and Russia — demands made by France, Britain and other NATO allies.

“I don’t like to talk about peacekeeping until we have a deal,” Trump said during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Kier Starmer on Thursday at the White House.

First White House meeting

Trump and Zelenskyy have had various in-person engagements in the past, but Friday marks their first one held at the White House. Earlier this month the pair spoke by phone, following Trump’s call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Since coming to office, Trump has increased his pressure campaign on Ukraine, falsely asserting that Kyiv started the war with Russia and calling Zelenskyy a “dictator.”

He has also repeated a claim that the U.S. has spent $350 billion on Ukraine’s war — a figure that far eclipses the amount recorded by the Department of Defense and the interagency oversight group that tracks U.S. appropriations to Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Trump is pursuing direct negotiations with Russia without the involvement of Kyiv or European allies, defending it during his Thursday press conference as “common sense.”

He described the talks as “very well advanced” but cautioned that there is only a narrow window to secure a deal to end the war. He expressed confidence that Putin will “keep his word” and not launch further aggression on Ukraine should a peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv be reached.

(VOA)