Donald Trump’s performance, together with that of vice president Vance and his White House media coterie, had all the qualities of an ambush.
Volodymyr Zelenksyy arrived, like Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron before him, with Trump hovering in the West Wing entrance. The US president immediately drew attention to his Ukrainian counterpart’s simple, military-style attire. It was a premeditated troll. “Oh look, you’re all dressed up”, he remarked in a mocking tone. Trump waved to the cameras and then pointed back at Zelenskyy: “He’s all dressed up!”
Trump raised a fist. His famous thumbs-up stance, a gesture that could be interpreted by nervous world leaders as a sign of docility, did not appear as it had done with Macron and Starmer. A pat on the back suggested it was time for Zelenskyy to enter.
The Ukrainian president obliged. The spectacle had begun. The trap was set.
Zelenksyy took his place in the Oval Office, sitting in the same chair as Macron and Starmer before him. Trump began by touting the minerals deal that the meeting had been convened to formalise; he praised the bravery of Ukrainian soldiers but reiterated his call for an unconditional ceasefire.
“We have had some very good discussions with Russia”, the US president declared in his opening statement. “I spoke with president Putin, and we’re going to try and bring this to a close.
“It’s something that you want and that he wants. We’re going to have to negotiate a deal… I think something can happen.”
Zelenskyy shared images of Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia. Trump displayed minimal interest.
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At around the eight-minute mark, reporters began firing questions. First they focused on the details of the raw materials deal, before pivoting to the nature of US support for Ukraine. Therein came the first instance of disagreement. Trump stressed the level of US financial backing delivered under the last administration. Zelenskyy countered by pointing to the significance of European support.
“Europe really helped”, he said. “President Trump said that they made less support, but they are our friends and they are our supportive partners. They really gave a lot, Mr President.”
Trump replied: “They did. But they gave much less — much less”. Both leaders laughed off the apparent dispute. “We’re not arguing!”, Trump clarified jokingly as he tapped Zelenskyy’s knee.
A few minutes later, a reporter asked what “compromises” Trump could exact from the Ukrainian government to secure a peace deal. “You can’t do any deals without compromises. So certainly he’s going to have to make some compromises”, the US president responded.
Trump described his role in the process as that of an “arbitrator” or “mediator”.
He added: “So all I can do is see if I can get everybody at the table and get an agreement. And I think we’re going to end up with an agreement, otherwise I wouldn’t probably be even here today.”
Zelenskyy paused for a beat before attempting to respond himself. But Trump had already pointed to a new reporter huddled to his left. Zelenskyy lifted his hands above his knees in apparent exasperation — there was a subtle head shake and an existential glance towards the ceiling.
The question, directed at Trump, came from a sycophant: “Do you think ultimately your legacy will be the peacemaker and not the president that led this country into another war, and ended foreign wars?”
The US president responded: “I hope it will. I mean, I hope I’m going to be remembered as a peacemaker. This would be a great thing if we could do this. I’m doing this to save lives, more than anything else. Second, is to save a lot of money — but I consider that to be far less important.”
He added: “Thank you Brian for that question. It was a nice question… You know, this could lead to a third world war, this was headed in the wrong direction. If we didn’t win this election, and by the way we won by a lot — it was a mandate — the popular vote by millions and millions of votes — we won everything, the districts, look at the areas of [Republican] red, take a look at a map. This was a big mandate.
“And this was one of the things — I said we’re going to get this thing settled. If we didn’t win, this could very well have ended up in a third world war. And that would not have been a good situation.”
Trump gestures back to the reporter — it is Brian Glenn of the MAGA media outlet Real America’s Voice, whom the president has made a member of the White House press corps. Glenn is currently dating Trump loyalist congresswoman Marjorie Taylor-Greene, and was notably granted the first question at the US president’s press conference with Macron on Monday.
Glenn’s second inquiry was destined for Zelenskyy. “Do you ever — why don’t you wear a suit? Why don’t you wear a suit? You are at the highest level in this country’s office, and you refuse to wear a suit — do you own a suit?”
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Trump smirks as an ill-tempered exchange ensues between Zelenskyy and Glenn. “I will wear a costume after this war is finished”, the Ukrainian president responded. “Maybe something like yours, yes, maybe something better I don’t know, we’ll see — maybe something cheaper.”
Glenn: “Thank you.”
Zelenskyy: “Thank you.”
In the next notable development, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins presses Trump on whether he will agree to security guarantees in the event of a peace deal.
He says: “I don’t want to talk about security yet, because I want to get the deal done — you fall into the same trap as everyone else… I want to get the deal done… the security is the easy part…we’ll have workers there digging, digging, digging, taking the raw earth, so that we can create a lot of great product in this country.
“So in that sense, you have something.”
Trump adds: “I don’t think you are going to need much security, I think once this deal gets done, it’s over. Russia’s not gonna want to go back and nobody’s going to want to go back. When this deal ends. I really believe this deal is — is going to be over.”
Zelenskyy shakes his head throughout Trump’s answer. He attempts to comment, but Trump cuts him off — clearly conscious of the Ukraine president’s intention to speak. He points to another reporter. Zelenskyy throws his right hand in the air; a gesture of despair. His body language begins to reflect the more belligerent footing the conversation has adopted.
The next question comes from another Trump sycophant.
“You had [Emmanuel] Macron and Keir Starmer at the White House this past week both of whom praised your courage and conviction to lead the pathway towards peace.
“Part of that involved though, reengaging with Russia in diplomatic relations — something that previous leaders lacked the conviction to do so. What gave you the moral courage and conviction to step forward and lead that?”
Zelenskyy tilts his head and directs his eyes to the reporter when Putin is mentioned. He remains steel-faced as Trump responds: “Boy, I love this guy… One America News does a great job. I like the question.”
He adds: “It’s a pathway to peace… You know, we’re very much involved. We got involved. It’s too bad we got involved. Because there should have been no involvement, because there should have been no war — and there shouldn’t have been 7 October. That would have never happened.”
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Zelenskyy asserts himself — “I can answer, please”. Before he does, Trump refers back to the exchange about the Ukrainian president’s attire. “I do like your clothing by the way”, he says, “I think he’s a great guy by the way [talking about the Real America’s Voice reporter].
“I don’t know if you do like each other, but, you know.”
There follows a long answer from Zelenskyy, expressing the need for a US security guarantee and Putin’s history of ignoring negotiated settlements. “We can’t just speak about ceasefire and speak and speak. It will not work”, he insists.
“He broke his own signature, 25 times, he broke a ceasefire.”
Trump contends: “Never with me. He never broke it with me”
The Ukrainian president responds: “No, no, you were the president. In 2016, you were the president… That’s why we will never accept just [a] ceasefire. It will not work without security guarantees.”
Zelenskyy and Trump field further questions — including one about free speech in the UK. Throughout, the US president disparages his predecessor, Joe Biden, and claims that he has “stopped wars that nobody ever heard about.”
Zelenskyy undertakes to prosecute his case more forcefully: “Europe is very important for us, because we really defend Europe for today, all Europeans really recognise that we are defending the line… and our people are dying. That’s why they helped us.
“And also it’s about the need — yes like the president said, you have big, nice ocean. But… Russia will go further, to Baltics and to Poland, by the way… It’s understandable for them, because they’ve been the USSR… Putin wants to bring them back to his empire.
“It’s a fact. And when he will go there, if we will not stay, you will fight — your American soldiers. It doesn’t matter [if] you have ocean or not, your soldiers will fight.”
Upon further questioning, Trump says he is unwilling to visit Ukraine because a lot of its cities “are not recognisable — there’s not a building standing.”
Zelenskyy again contradicts his US counterpart. “No, no, no, we have very good cities. Yes, a lot of things [have] been destroyed, but mostly cities are alive, and people work, and children go to school.”
He suggests that Trump has been influenced by Kremlin propaganda: “This is very important, and maybe it’s Putin who is sharing this information that he destroyed us. He lost 700,000 people — 700,000 soldiers.”
The US president is prompted more and more by reporters about his relationship with Putin. He reveals he has “spoken to him on numerous occasions” and that the latest call “went well”.
Trump adds: “Well, if I didn’t align myself with both of them, you’d never have a deal. You want me to say really terrible things about Putin and then say, ‘Hi, Vladimir. How are we doing on the deal?’.
“It doesn’t work that way. I’m not aligned with Putin. I’m not aligned with anybody. I’m aligned with the United States.”
He goes on, referring to Zelenskyy: “You see, the hatred he’s got for Putin. It’s very tough for me to make a deal with that kind of hate. He’s got tremendous hatred, and I understand that — but I can tell you the other side isn’t exactly in love with, you know, him either.”
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At this point, US vice-president JD Vance interjects: “So look, for four years [in] the United States of America, we had a president who stood up at press conferences and talked tough about Vladimir Putin, and then Putin invaded Ukraine and destroyed a significant chunk of the country.
“The path to peace and the path to prosperity is maybe engaging in diplomacy.”
Zelenskyy asks to respond to Vance directly, and the VP yields. A long question follows, in which the Ukrainian president reiterates Putin’s record of exceeding the limits imposed on him by pacts. “What kind of diplomacy, JD, are you speaking about? What do you mean?”
Vance escalates: “I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country. Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.
“Right now you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president.”
Zelensky hits back: “During the war, everybody has problems, even you. But you have a nice ocean and don’t feel [it] now, but you will feel it in the future.”
That comment rankled Trump, prompting the US president to intervene. “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. You’re in no position to dictate that”, the US president asserted, his voice growing more irritated.
“You don’t have the cards right now. You’re gambling with millions of lives.”
Zelensky returns once more: “I’m not playing cards.”
The conversation has, at this point, devolved into a full-scale row. Vance demands that Zelenskyy thank the US for its support; Zelenskyy insists he has done so many times; Trump slams Zelenskyy’s “attitude”.
Then, in a bizarre twist, the US president says he sympathises with the criticism Putin faced over accusations of Russian interference in the 2016 US election: “He had to go through that.”
He adds: “It came out of Hunter Biden’s bathroom. It came out of Hunter Biden’s bedroom. It was disgusting.”
Gesturing to Zelenskyy, the US president concludes: “The problem is, I’ve empowered you to be a tough guy. And I don’t think you’d be a tough guy without the United States… You are either going to make a deal, or we’re out. And if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty…
“But you’re not acting at all thankful and that’s not a nice thing. And I’ll be honest, that’s not a nice thing. Alright, I think we’ve seen enough, what do you think?
“This is going to be great television. I will say that.”
Zelenskyy issues an ironic thumbs-up. Trump winks at an individual behind the camera. Vance slaps Trump’s arm.
The VP and president are pleased with their work.
The ambush is quickly celebrated by administration officials and the president’s online outriders. Elon Musk posts to X shortly after: “Time to find out what really happened to the hundreds of billions of dollars sent to Ukraine.”
The reaction of stunned European leaders took slightly longer to roll in — but their support, when it did arrive, was overwhelming. Zelensky responded to the myriad statements with a simple message: “Thank you for your support”.
Those five words today appear over thirty times on his X feed.
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Here in the UK, the saga prompted cross-party condemnation. Alicia Kearns, a Conservative MP and shadow minister, was one of the first to respond. She posted to X: “Zelenskyy is fighting for the survival of his people.
“We just witnessed what can only be described as bullying. Performative bullying for a domestic US audience. Just watching the video shamed me to my core. Utterly shaming.”
Simon Hoare, a Conservative MP and former minister, referred to a question he asked of the prime minister on Wednesday. “As I said in the commons… at PMQs: the FORMER leader of the free world.”
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said he was “sickened” by the “degrading spectacle”. Kemi Badenoch was less straightforward with her choice of language. “We need to remember that the villain is the war criminal president Putin”, she said.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey responded to the Conservative leader’s statement: “For someone who prides themself on being so ‘direct’, it’s striking you still can’t bring yourself to criticise president Trump directly”.
Davey had issued his own remarks calling out Trump and Vance’s “thuggery”.
Trade minister Douglas Alexander told BBC Radio 4 that not only were the scenes in the Oval Office “deeply troubling and sobering”, he argued they demonstrated “in the starkest possible terms” the extent to which “the world we’ve all experienced for the last 80 years” had changed.
He also labelled Zelensky the “bravest political leader in Europe since Winston Churchill”.
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, finally responded on Saturday morning. He referred to the debacle as “regrettable”.
For some time, the prime minister’s quiet was also conspicuous. As Zelenskyy responded to messages of support from world leaders on X, the prime minister’s views were expressed via a spokesperson.
“The prime minister has tonight spoken to both president Trump and president Zelensky”, the statement, issued at around 10.00 pm, read.
“He retains unwavering support for Ukraine, and is doing all he can to find a path forward to a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine.
“The prime minister looks forward to hosting international leaders on Sunday including president Zelensky.”
The comment, its timing and the channel through which it was issued reflect the precariousness of Starmer’s position as it relates to Ukraine and Trump. The prime minister’s visit to Washington DC on Thursday was hailed as a personal and diplomatic triumph. Sceptics had doubted Starmer’s ability to act as a “bridge” between the European continent and a White House as capricious as this. But Trump’s seemingly sincere praise, his endorsement of the Chagos Islands deal and his suggestion that the UK could avoid being hit by tariffs — were all recorded as meaningful victories. An impetuous Vance had tried to ambush the prime minister on free speech, a sinister portent of his attack on Zelenskyy; but Starmer parried those attacks effectively. Meanwhile, the PM’s offer of a second, unprecedented state visit appeared to genuinely move Trump.
But Friday’s White House debacle has upended — in a singularly spectacular fashion — any diplomatic advances Starmer made this week. The US president has proved, once again, that he is untameable. He intends to end the Ukraine war by whatever means necessary — seemingly, on whatever terms are available. Right now, those are Putin’s terms.
The prime minister’s statement yesterday evening suggests his ostensible strategy to operate as a transatlantic “bridge” persists. The summit of European leaders he is set to host on Sunday, attended by Zelenskyy, will test the opinion of one half of this formulation. Already, a view on the continent is hardening that Europe must achieve strategic “independence” from the White House — in both its current and future forms.
It begs the question: where will Starmer stand if Trump decides he does not need a bridge to “Europe” — and Europe, simultaneously, seeks strategic “independence” from the US?
The situation is at once delicate, urgent and fast evolving.
Josh Self is Editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on Bluesky here.
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Source: Politics
