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Volodymyr Zelensky has left the White House after the meeting to sign a critical mineral deal descended into chaos
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The Trump administration is considering ending military aid to Ukraine after a high-stakes White House meeting between the US president and Volodymyr Zelensky ended in furious argument, it has been reported.
The dramatic turn of events is in response to the Ukrainian president’s remarks in the Oval Office, as Donald Trump told reporters the Ukrainian president had to say “I want to make peace” if he wanted US support.
Reported by the Washington Post citing a senior administration official, the development comes as European leaders flocked to the defence of Mr Zelensky.
Mr Zelensky had left the White House after a meeting folded when JD Vance accused him of having “disrespected” the US. Mr Trump reiterated the vice president’s claim, adding that Kyiv was “gambling with World War Three”.
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer expressed his “unwavering support” for Ukraine and said he had spoken with Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump on the phone.
Social media has been inundated with messages of support from European leaders for Mr Zelensky. German chancellor Olaf Scholz said Ukraine can “rely on Germany – and Europe”, while French president Emmanuel Macron reiterated that Russia is the aggressor.
Meanwhile, shadow ministers have jumped to his defence. Winston Churchill would be “turning in his grave,” shadow justice minister Robert Jenrick said, while shadow security minister Alicia Kearns labelled the incident “performative bullying”.
Donald Trump is not interested in reviving the Ukraine minerals deal, a senior White House official has said.
The deal was never signed after Mr Zelensky left the White House earlier following a spat with the president.
He is also considering ending outgoing military aid shipments to Ukraine after the argument in the White House earlier today, according to a report.
It comes after Mr Zelensky’s “perceived intransigence” during the peace process, a senior administration official told the Washington Post.
The decision would apply to billions of dollars of military equipment, the report says.
Volodymyr Zelensky has told Fox News that he wanted Donald Trump to be more strongly in support of Ukraine.
He was asked by chief political anchor Bret Baier about Mr Trump’s statement that he views himself as in the middle of Russia and Ukraine, and does not support either side more.
Mr Zelensky said: “I want to be very honest. I want him to be more at our side. I will explain why: because [the war didn’t begin] between our countries.
“The war began when Russia brought this war to our country, and they are not right. They didn’t respect our territorial integrity. They brought the war on our territory, to our families, to our houses.
“Of course, all the Ukrainians want to hear strong position of the United States on our side,” he added.
Volodymyr Zelensky has been asked what the pathway to a deal is and how he plans to get ceasefire efforts back on track.
Security guarantees must come before diplomacy, he said.
“I think that Europe is ready to help us with financing of big army, such big as we have now, this is our army as the part of security guarantees,” he said.
“Now we want to just to find the place for our biggest strategic partner for the United States.
“When [we have the security guarantees] we will come to diplomacy.”
Volodymyr Zelensky says he cannot change the attitude of the Ukrainian people to Russia.
Asked by Fox News whether he thought the Oval Office spat benefitted the Ukrainian people, he said: “I think this is not good for both sides anyway.
“I can’t change our Ukrainian attitude to Russia. They are killers for us.”
Volodymyr Zelensky has refused to apologise for the blowout argument at the White House.
Speaking to Fox News anchor Bret Baier, he said he believes his relationship with Donald Trump can be salvaged.
“I’m not sure we did something bad,” he said. “I think maybe sometimes some things we have to discuss out of out of media, with all respect to democracy and to free media.
“But there are things that where we have to understand the position of Ukraine and Ukrainians, and I think that is the most important thing,” he added.
Asked whether the relationship can be salvaged, he said: “Can be, yes. Because it’s relations more than two presidents, [it’s] the historical relations, strong relations between our people.
“And that’s why I thanked your people from our people. Your people help to save our people,” he concluded.
Volodymyr Zelensky has started speaking on Fox News.
“I’m very thankful to to Americans for all your support. You did a lot. I’m thankful to President Trump and to Congress bipartisan support, and I was always very thankful from all our people,” he said.
“You helped us a lot from the very beginning, during three years of foodscape innovation, you helped us to survive.”
“We are strategic partners, and even in such tough dialog, and I think we have to be very honest and we have to be very direct to understand each other,” he added.
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni has called for an immediate summit between the US and European leaders after White House negotiations over the Ukraine war spectacularly failed on Friday.
Meloni said in a statement she wanted leaders to be able “to speak frankly about how we intend to face today’s great challenges, starting with Ukraine.”
Meloni urged the West to stay united: “Every division of the West makes us all weaker and favours those who would like to see the decline of our civilization,” she said.
“A division would not benefit anyone.”
The Trump administration is considering ending military aid to Ukraine after a high-stakes White House meeting between the US president and Volodymyr Zelensky ended in furious argument, it has been reported.
The Washington Post reports a senior administration official said the dramatic turn of events is in response to the Ukrainian president’s remarks in the Oval Office, as Donald Trump told reporters the Ukrainian president had to say “I want to make peace” if he wanted US support.
Donald Trump appeared to tease Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as he arrived at the White House on Friday, telling him “oh look, you’re all dressed up.”
Zelensky shook hands with the president, dressed in a black sweater – a similar outfit to the military fatigues he almost always wears. The sweater bore the the Ukrainian trident, also known as the tryzub. The three-pronged spear appears on Ukraine‘s coat of arms and is a national symbol of Ukraine.
Turning to members of the press who captured the exchange Trump added “he’s all dressed up today” as the Ukrainian president smiled sheepishly. A clip of the interaction circulating on social media was seized on by “First Buddy” Elon Musk, who quoted “all dressed up” with a crying laughing emoji.
Mike Bedigan reports:
The Trump administration is considering ending outgoing military aid shipments to Ukraine after the argument in the White House earlier today, according to a report.
It comes after Mr Zelensky’s “perceived intransigence” during the peace process, a senior administration official told the Washington Post.
The decision would apply to billions of dollars of military equipment, the report says.
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