Trump says Zelenskyy doesn't want to make peace; Ukraine President 'thanks' US people, POTUS after verbal spat

A heated exchange occurred between Trump and Zelenskyy at the White House over ceasefire strategies in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Zelenskyy departed early, and Trump criticized his reluctance to pursue an immediate ceasefire, suggesting US support influences his stance.

Washington, DC [US], March 1 (ANI): US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy engaged in an ugly and heated exchange at the Oval Offce in front of media persons.

TRumps said that the Ukranian President was not willing to pursue an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing conflict with Russia. Zelenskyy left the White House earlier than planned without signing a much-anticipated minerals agreement or attending a scheduled press conference with Trump.

Trump told reporters after the Oval office meeting, "He (Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy) says that he wants to come back right now, but I can't do that...They should have an immediate ceasefire...A ceasefire could take place immediately. If you want to end the war, you sign up for an agreement that's going to take a period of time. It takes time."

He reiterated that he wants the war to end immediately: "I want it to end immediately, and I think if you had a ceasefire, it would be a ceasefire, a real one that would end it," he said.

"He [Volodymyr Zelenskyy] doesn't want to do that...I want it to end immediately. I want a ceasefire now," he added.

According to Trump, Zelenskyy's position is influenced by the support he receives from the United States. He said, "Well, all of a sudden, he is a big shot because he has the US on his side. Either we're going to end it or let him fight it out, and if he fights it out, it's not going to be pretty easy as without us, he doesn't win"

Further, Trump has criticized Zelenskyy, stating, "That was not a man (Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy) that wanted to make peace, and I am only interested if he (Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy) wants to end the bloodshed."

"Zelenskyy got to say, I want to make peace. He doesn't have to stand there and say about Putin this, Putin that, and all negative things. He's got to say, I want to make peace. I don't want to fight a war any longer, his people are dying," he added.

Trump argued that Zelenskyy does not have the "cards" to end the war, suggesting that the situation could only be resolved through a negotiated deal. "I just want to get a deal done, and if the deal happens, good," he said. "But you can't embolden somebody that does not have the cards."

"We are not going to keep fighting. We are going to get the war done or let them go and see what happens. Let them fight it out...I want anybody that's going to make peace, if he is capable of making peace, which he may or may not be, but I want somebody that's going to make peace again. He doesn't have the cards. When we sign up, he's got all of the cards; that doesn't mean he can fight. He's got to stop the fighting, stop the death. He is losing hundreds of thousands of soldiers. It's time to stop the death," the US President said.

US Vice President JD Vance who was also present at the Oval Office meeting told Zelenskyy that diplomacy is necessary to end the war and advised him to be more thankful for Trump's efforts to prevent Ukraine from being wiped out by Russia.

Meanwhile in a post on X, Zelenskyy said, "Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that." 

Zelenskyy took to social media to express his gratitude to the United States, President Donald Trump, Congress, and the American people after a tense meeting at the Oval Office.

“Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that,” Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X.

The meeting, which was intended to include the signing of a bilateral agreement on access to rare earth minerals, ended in a heated exchange between Trump, Zelenskyy, and Vice President JD Vance.

To Vance's question Zelenskyy if he had ever thanked the United States for its support, the Ukrainian President responded by defending Ukraine's position and highlighting the country's struggles against Russian aggression. This was the beginning of the bust up in front of media inside the Oval Office.

Trump weighed in, claiming that Ukraine's war with Russia would have been over in two weeks if not for US military aid.

Zelenskyy's tweet, which thanked the US for its support, was seen as a response to the tense meeting. In a later interview with Fox News, Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of US assistance in Ukraine's fight against Russia, stating that "it will be difficult without your support."

The meeting sparked widespread criticism, with many European leaders voicing their support for Ukraine and condemning Trump's confrontational approach. Democratic lawmakers in the US also defended Zelenskyy and criticized Trump's behavior, with some accusing him of "doing Putin's dirty work."

Despite the tensions, Zelenskyy expressed his willingness to mend relations with Trump, saying that the connection between the US and Ukraine extends beyond their respective presidents.