Trump and Zelenskyy Meet in Tense Oval Oval Exchange

WATCH: Zelenskyy meeting blows up as Trump suggests Ukrainian president needs to be more grateful

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance got into a heated exchange with visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday over U.S. support for Ukraine in its ongoing fight against Russian forces.

The back-and-forth between the three men took place during what’s known as a pool spray, when the White House provides access for a limited number of members of the media to observe and report on a meeting or event.

After Zelenskyy shared his skepticism that U.S. diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin will be successful, Vance told Ukraine’s president that it was “disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.”

“You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict,” Vance told Zelenskky, while also noting that Ukraine has issues bringing more manpower into its military.

Trump told Zelenskyy:

 “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 said they should have.”

Ukraine has been pushing for security guarantees from the U.S. to prevent further Russian incursion on Ukrainian territory. While Ukraine is set to sign an economic agreement that will give the U.S. access to the European country’s rare earth minerals, Trump has said in recent days that the U.S. was not going to make security guarantees “beyond very much. We’re going to have Europe do that.”

After the tense meeting, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that he has –

“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.”

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

First Aired on NBC News.

Shared via Creative Commons.