President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy engaged in a heated discussion about the role of American diplomacy in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going end the destruction of your country,” Vance told Zelenskyy. “Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office and 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 for trying to bring an end to this conflict.”
Zelenskyy asked Vance if he had ever been to Ukraine, to which Vance declared that Zelenskyy engages in “propaganda tours.”
“Do you think that it’s respectful to come to 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.
Trump interjected, “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. You’re in no position to dictate that. You’re in no position to dictate what we are going to feel. We are going to feel very good.”
“You’re right now not in a very good position. You’ve allowed yourself to be in a very bad position, and [Vance] happens to be right about it,” Trump added. He reiterated that Zelenskyy is “not in a good position. You don’t have the cards right now.”
“With us, you start having cards,” Trump said. “You’re gambling with the 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.”
Following his meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump said he has “determined that 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. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office,” Trump said. “He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
