A tense meeting between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky ended in a dramatic fallout, with the Ukrainian delegation being abruptly asked to leave the White House.
According to U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, the confrontation erupted on Friday during negotiations over a minerals agreement between the U.S. and Ukraine. The talks collapsed when Zelensky pushed for increased American support for Kyiv rather than Trump’s neutral stance in mediating a peace deal with Moscow.
Trump accused Zelensky of being ungrateful for U.S. assistance and unwilling to make concessions to end the ongoing conflict, while Vice President J.D. Vance criticized the Ukrainian leader’s diplomatic approach.
In an interview with Breitbart News, Waltz recounted how he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio conveyed Trump’s message to Zelensky’s team. “They were stunned,” Waltz said. “I don’t know how they thought they could move forward after that very public episode.”
Reports suggest that White House staff confirmed Trump had effectively “kicked out” Zelensky, with the Ukrainian delegation reportedly seeking to reset the meeting. However, Rubio and Waltz insisted they leave immediately.
Waltz emphasized that American patience had run out, questioning how Ukraine could “insult someone while practically begging for money and assistance.”
Rubio later criticized Zelensky for wasting time and called on him to apologize for the diplomatic breakdown. However, in a Fox News interview, Zelensky acknowledged the meeting had not gone well but stated he had no intention of apologizing, insisting he had been honest and transparent in the discussion.
