Ukraine Foreign Minister Showed Disappointment as Zelensky -Trump's Meeting Ended
During a heated exchange between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday, Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova appeared distraught with her head in her hand.
The moment was captured in a number of viral photos and videos as Trump questioned Zelenskyy about not wanting a ceasefire with Russia at a live White House press event.
As shaky microphones hovered above the spatting leaders, Markarova lowered her head to her right hand and closed her eyes.
President Trump addressed Zelenskyy, saying, "You're saying you don't want a ceasefire. I want a ceasefire because you get a ceasefire faster than an agreement."
The Ukrainian president chimed in, "I said to you … with guarantees. Ask our people about [a] ceasefire, [about] what they think."
Trump starkly halted the conversation, saying "that wasn't with me."
The leaders were expected to sign a deal sharing Ukraine's rare earth minerals and discuss a peace deal with Russia when the conversation turned contentious.
After questions were posed by Zelenskyy about diplomacy, Vice President JD Vance reprimanded him for "try[ing] to litigate" in front of the American media, calling his actions "disrespectful."
"Do you think that it's respectful to come into the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country," Vance asked Zelenskyy.
Sources close to Zelenskyy noted tensions were high prior to the meeting, Fox News Digital previously reported.
Zelenskyy reportedly rejected the mineral security agreement before Friday's meeting due to the absence of security guarantees protecting Ukraine from another Russian invasion. Even though the Ukrainian president warned he would need those assurances to sign the deal, sources said the dismissal angered Trump and Vance.
Just minutes after reporters asked their first questions, the heated disagreement unfolded.
Reporters watched in shock as the meeting came to an abrupt halt, and Zelenskyy was rushed out of the White House
Minutes later, Trump posted to Truth Social, saying, "President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE."
Zelenskyy subsequently posted to X, thanking America and Trump for their support and allowing the visit.
"Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that," he wrote in the post
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