Zelensky on White House ‘Fight’ with Trump: ‘Not Good for Both Sides’

Zelensky on White House ‘Fight’ with Trump: President Volodymyr Zelensky attempted to mend any fractured relations that may have emerged following a heated exchange in the White House between himself and U.S. President Donald Trump earlier in the day.

The 45-minute press briefing, which turned into a shouting match between the two leaders, ended with the cancellation of the planned signing of the U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement.

"He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for peace," Trump posted on Truth Social.

The heated back-and-forth — with Trump, Zelensky, and Vice President JD Vance at times talking over each other — was a striking breach of Oval Office comity, where even tough exchanges have typically happened with calm voices and diplomatic language.

Not Friday, when Trump told Zelensky that he had no cards and was in no position to make requests of the United States. He also suggested that talks could derail unless attitudes changed. The on-camera fury had no modern precedent and was all the more striking at a time when Trump has been more sympathetic to Moscow than to Kyiv after generations in which Washington has stood staunchly against Kremlin aggression across the world.

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“No, I respect the president and I respect the American people and if I don’t know, I think that we have to be very open and very honest and I’m not sure that we did something bad,” Zelensky said. “I think maybe sometimes, somethings we have to discuss out of media, with all respect to democracy and to free media.”

The exchange occurred with reporters and cameras in the Oval Office, making the argument public. Trump remarked when reporters were asked the leave the room that it made for good television.

Baier asked if the dynamic should have taken place behind closed doors, questioning if Zelensky regretted how it occurred. Zelensky looked out to an aide for what appeared to be an ask for a translation for “regret” before responding, “Yes, I think it was not good.”

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“I’m always open to media but there are very sensitive things. I just want to be honest and I just want our partners to understand the situation correctly,” the Ukrainian president added.

The moment the meeting went from cordial to off the rails occurred when Vice President Vance said Trump was engaging in diplomacy and Zelensky questioned Vance, noting that Putin has broken the ceasefire.

When asked by Baier what made Zelensky mad and caused him to change his tone, he suggested that it was Vance interjecting during the Oval Office talks.

“If journalists are asking questions to the president, with all respect to the vice president, I mean, he has his interviews, this is our dialogue,” he said.

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