President Trump, Peacemaker

"He [President Volodymyr Zelenskyy] disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he's ready for Peace."

"Don't tell us what we're going to feel. You're in no position to dictate that. You're right now not in a very good position. You've allowed yourself to be in a very bad position. You don't have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards."

"You're gambling with lives of millions of people. 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."

U.S. President Donald J. Trump 

"Mr. President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come into 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."

"You bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour, Mr. President."

"Have you said thank you once? In this entire meeting, have you said thank you? … Offer some words of appreciation for the U.S.A. and the president who's trying to save your country?" 

U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance

 

"Have you ever been to Ukraine? Come once?"

"First of all, during the war, everybody has problems, even you." 

"But you have nice ocean and don't feel now, but you will feel it in the future."

"I'm not playing cards. I'm very serious, Mr. President. I'm very serious."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, is shown with U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Vice-President JD Vance at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Friday. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)

"This is going to be great television", President Trump said, after cancelling a scheduled news conference following the Oval Office meeting with President Zelenskyy. "I hope I'll be known and recognized as a peacemaker", he said while still in the Oval Office. Prior to the meeting Mr. Trump reaffirmed that military assistance for Ukraine would be continued; the United States, he repeated, was still committed to NATO and the protection of Poland.

 

Earlier, the discussions that took place between Messrs. Trump, Vance and Zelenskyy graduated from a calm atmosphere that soon degenerated into a shouting match between the two American leaders joining their loud voices assailing the Ukrainian president. This was clearly an unusual display of Oval Office diplomacy. Both Mr. Trump and Mr. Vance emphasizing in no uncertain terms to Mr. Zelenskyy that he was in no position to demand, or even politely request anything of the United States. 

 

Zelenskyy's caution over signing away Ukraine's mineral rights, insisting a security guarantee accompany such an agreement, raised his interlocutors' hackles.

They charged him with derailing a rare opportunity for peace. A cordial meeting turned into an exchange of bitter accusations. Of course, such an exchange might have been  anticipated to some degree, given President Trump's previous characterizations of President Zelenskyy as a 'dictator' and casting Ukraine as the aggressor, not Russia, in the three-year-old conflict. The unprovoked Kremlin drive into Ukraine suddenly became a reversed situation; somehow Ukraine had provoked Moscow into its military incursion across the border.

This, despite President Zelenskyy outlining Vladimir Putin's aggressively violent behaviour from 2014 forward. To Vice-President Vance's admonition "Have you said thank you once, in this entire meeting?", President Zelenskyy responded that he has often given thanks to the American people for their support in Ukraine's war effort. "Your country is in big trouble", said Vance. "You're not winning this. Then you tell us, 'I don't want a ceasefire. I don't want a ceasefire', mocked Trump. 

When a reporter present in the chamber enquired what might occur should Russia break a ceasefire, President Trump returned: "What if a bomb drops on your head right now?" Turning back to Zelenskyy, Trump repeated: "You don't have the cards. But once we sign that deal, you're in a much better position. But you're not acting at all thankful. And that's not a nice thing." Whereupon he ordered reporters to leave the room. 

World leaders have reacted to the combative Oval Office meeting witnessed by a room full of media that saw U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance berating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and calling him ‘disrespectful’ during the meeting in Washington that was meant to negotiate an agreement between the two nations.

As far as President Trump is concerned he has faith that Vladimir Putin has a wish to  end the war and would be prepared to respect any peace agreement that could be agreed upon. He utters no criticism of Russia's President and has made it abundantly clear that he supports Moscow and Pyongyang against Ukraine, adequately proven by a vote at the United Nations marking the war's third anniversary.

"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," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later wrote on X.

Zelenskyy leaves after a news conference with Trump was canceled following their Oval Office meeting on Friday. (Nathan Howard/Reuters)

"Many Americans will be appalled by this. Most Americans do not want to see this kind of public bullying and humiliation of some ally, which is fighting for its life."

"I think this has very long historical implications, I think this is most unfortunate, and it is not over."

"Trump can change his mind in a New York minute, but what has happened today has been something that will darken whatever legacy [Trump] has forever."

Aurel Braun, professor of international relations and political science, University of Toronto, associate, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University

"[The shouting] was the most appalling display of the most appalling behaviour I have ever witnessed from a Western leader."

"I think this was deliberately set up to humiliate President Zelenskyy. I think they attempted to humiliate him, but I think that President Zelenskyy stood up proud and stood his ground with Trump and with Vance."

"I think they were trying to provoke him because they are becoming accustomed to Western leaders coming to the white House and kissing the ring." 

Alexandra Chyczij, head, Ukrainian Canadian Congress