Testy exchange marks Trump-Zelensky talks in White House

Washington, March 1 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Talks between the US and Ukraine to sign a deal on rare earth minerals appeared to have collapsed after a testy exchange between President Donald Trump and Vice-President J.D. Vance on one side and President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday.

“We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelensky 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,” President Trump said in a post on Truth Social after the testy exchange in the Oval Office.

“He can come back when he is ready for Peace,” he wrote.

Zelensky left the White House shortly after. There was no information if the deal was signed.

The two sides were expected to sign an agreement giving the US rights to Ukraine’s reserves of rare earth minerals and other natural resources in return for its contributions to Kyiv’s war efforts against Russia.

In the Oval Office exchange, President Trump told President Zelensky he holds “no cards” in the negotiations and that he should be more thankful.

Vance told Zelensky he should be more respectful of President Trump and all that he is trying to do for his country.

Vance went to accuse the Ukrainian leader of campaigning for President Joe Biden in the 2024 US presidential polls.

The testy exchange started with President Trump telling reporters that President Zelensky harbours a kind of “hatred” for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin that makes it tough for him to get a deal.

“He’s got tremendous hatred, and I understand that,” he said of Zelensky.

“But I can tell you the other side is exactly in love with you, you know him, too. So it’s not a question of alignment.”

Vice-President Vance, who was present for his news conference in the Oval Office of the White House, jumped in telling Zelensky, “We tried the pathway of Joe Biden, of thumping our chest and pretending that the President of the United States’ words mattered more than the President of the United States is actions,” he said, implying Biden’s action were not enough.

“What makes America a good country is America engaging in diplomacy. That’s what President Trump is doing.”

Zelensky responded to that saying he tried that route of diplomacy with Putin before.

He said there were agreements signed with Russia after it snatched Crimea from Ukraine in the 2014-15.

After the 2019 agreement in 2019 he said he was told “he broke the ceasefire, he killed our people, and he didn’t exchange prisoners. We signed the exchange of prisons, but he didn’t do it. What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about?”

“I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country,” Vance shot back.

“But Mr. President, with respect. I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media.”

He added, “You should be thanking the President.”

At one stage, Zelensky accused Vance of speaking “loudly”.

Trump snapped back.

“He’s not speaking loudly. Your country is in big trouble. Your country is in big trouble. I know you’re not winning at all. You’re not winning this guy, you have a damning chance of winning.”

President Trump went on to say, “You got to be more thankful, because 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. Maybe a tough deal to make, because the attitudes have to change.”

The two leaders were expected to sign a deal which gives the US rights to some of Ukraine’s deposits of rare earth minerals in exchange for America’s contributions to Ukraine’s war efforts and, as Trump has said, bring the US into Ukraine.

“It’s a great deal for Ukraine, too, because they get us over there,” President Trump said of the deal at the first meeting of his Cabinet on Thursday.

“We’re going to be working over there. We’ll be on the land. And you know, that way it’s this sort of automatic security, because nobody’s going to be messing around with our people when we’re there.”

President Trump has been pressured by European leaders to ensure there are security guarantees for Ukraine in any deal with Russia. France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered the message to President Trump directly and publicly in their visits and press interactions at the White House in the past few days.

President Zelensky will underscore that core demand during his meeting with President Trump and may perhaps urge him on it during their press interactions.

Marc Thiessen, a foreign policy expert, wrote in an opinion piece in the Washington Post on Thursday, “The minerals deal is a security guarantee. Trump has made clear that he is not going to send American troops to Ukraine. But with this deal, he is going to send something better: American workers, bulldozers and earthmovers.”

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