Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s meeting with Donald Trump at the White House took a dramatic turn for the worse on Friday, as the two leaders engaged in an intense confrontation in front of the global media over the ongoing conflict with Russia.

Zelenskiy had hoped to use the Oval Office meeting as a platform to persuade the United States to maintain its opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had initiated the invasion of Ukraine three years ago.

However, the encounter took an unexpected twist when U.S. President Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized Zelenskiy harshly, accusing him of disrespect, further straining the already fragile relationship between Ukraine and its key wartime ally. According to a U.S. official, Zelenskiy was eventually told to leave.

A significant agreement between Ukraine and the U.S. to jointly exploit Ukraine’s abundant natural resources, which Kyiv and its European partners had hoped would improve relations, remained unsigned and stalled.

In response, European leaders rallied to Zelenskiy’s defense. German chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz emphasized, “We must never confuse the aggressor with the victim in this tragic war.”

Zelenskiy also held telephone conversations with French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and EU Council President Antonio Costa, according to an official from the Ukrainian delegation in Washington.

Meanwhile, Britain is set to host a summit on Sunday with European leaders and Zelenskiy to discuss the creation of a security framework to support any potential peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv.- Own Correspondent/ Reuters