Zelenskyy thanks America, Trump after tense Oval Office showdown; says clash ‘not good for both sides’

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Courtesy: Reuters photo)

Following a dramatic Oval Office confrontation with US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy departed the White House and later thanked Trump and the country for their support.

In a heated exchange on Friday, Trump shouted at Zelenskyy, warning that his actions could “risk millions of lives” and potentially lead to World War III. Zelenskyy, in turn, abruptly exited the White House without signing a vital minerals agreement, which Trump had implied was necessary for ongoing US support to Ukraine.

After he left the White House, the Ukrainian President took to X and wrote, “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.”

A joint press conference, scheduled between Trump and Zelenskyy, was also cancelled after the unexpected showdown. According to a White House spokesperson, the anticipated minerals agreement between the US and Ukraine failed to materialise.

Later, a statement by the White House, read that Trump and Vance “will always stand up for the interests of the American people and those who respect the United States’ position in the world — and will never allow the American people to be taken advantage of.”

It also cited Trump’s exchange with Zelenskyy, in which the US leader asserted, “Let me tell you, you don’t have the cards. With us, you have the cards — but without us, you don’t have any cards.”

The statement highlighted Trump’s remark that Zelenskyy was “gambling with World War III”. It noted that Zelenskyy himself has acknowledged that the situation in Ukraine could lead to WWIII, and that without US aid, they would lose.

“A third world war could start in Ukraine, continue in Israel, and move on from there to Asia, and then explode somewhere else,” the statement said.

In an interaction later, Zelenskyy maintained that he “did not do anything wrong” while also acknowledging that the confrontation was “bad for both sides”.

“This kind of spat is not good for both sides. It will be difficult for us to defend the country from invading Russian military forces if Trump discontinues aid to Ukraine,” Zelenskyy told Fox News in an exclusive interview.