Today’s meeting in the Oval Office turned into a bickering match between President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy.
The meeting was supposed to end with Trump and Zelenskyy signing a minerals deal between Ukraine and the United States as one of the first steps in ending the three-year-long war.
Instead, both parties have left on bad terms.
What To Know About the Mineral Deal
This deal would create a joint Reconstruction Investment Fund owned by both countries.
The underlying idea is that by having the U.S. invest heavy financial resources into mineral extraction in Ukraine, we would get a return on investment, Ukraine would get a huge boost to rebuild their economy, and we would be more likely to support them against future aggression to protect that investment.
Per the deal,
50 percent of all revenues earned from the future monetization of all relevant Ukrainian Government-owned natural resource assets (whether owned directly or indirectly by the Ukrainian Government), defined as deposits of minerals, hydrocarbons, oil, natural gas, and other extractable materials, and other infrastructure relevant to natural resource assets.
On the U.S. side,
Subject to applicable United States law, the Government of the United States of America will maintain a long-term financial commitment to the development of a stable and economically prosperous Ukraine. Further contributions may be comprised of funds, financial instruments, and other tangible and intangible assets critical for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy is seeking security guarantees from the U.S., but the wording in the agreement only offers to support those efforts and provide nothing concrete.
The Government of the United States of America supports Ukraine’s efforts to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace. Participants will seek to identify any necessary steps to protect mutual investments, as defined in the Fund Agreement.
Tymofiy Mylovanov, President of the Kyiv School of Economics and former Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine described the evolution of this agreement.
“The U.S. administration started with a deal that challenged Ukraine’s sovereignty, then pushed an exploitative one that would bankrupt the country. Now, they’ve shifted to a reasonable deal with co-ownership and no direct claims on past aid. That could actually benefit Ukraine.”
Where the Meeting Went Wrong
The security guarantee is the biggest contention, with Zelenskyy asserting that a concrete commitment to security support is the only thing that will secure both Ukraine and this mineral deal.
What kicked off the argument was a reporter asking Trump if he was aligning himself too much with Putin.
Trump responded that he wasn’t aligned with anyone. He was aligned with America, aligned with Europe, and aligned with the world. Before they could move on, Vance interjected.
Vance: “For four years in the United States of America, we had a President that 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. We tried the pathway of Joe Biden of thumping our chests and pretending that the President of the United States’ words mattered more than the President of the United States’ actions. What makes America a good country is America engaging in diplomacy. That’s what President Trump is doing.”
Zelenskyy: “He occupied big parts of Ukraine. Parts of the east, and Crimea… During 2014, no one stopped him. He just occupied and he took… During 2014 to 2022, the situation has been the same. People have been dying on the contact line. No one has stopped him. You know that we had conversations with him. A lot of conversations with him… In 2019, I signed with [Putin], Macron, and Merkel, we signed. Cease fire. Cease fire. All of them told me that he will never go… But after that, he broke the cease-fire. He killed our people, and he didn’t exchange prisoners. We signed exchange of prisoners, but he didn’t do it. What kind of diplomacy, J.D., you are speaking about?”
“I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the end of your country.”
Zelenskyy: “Yeah, but-“
Vance: “Mr. President, 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: “Have you ever been to Ukraine, that you say what problems we have?”
Vance: “I have been to…”
Zelenskyy: “Come once.”
Vance: “I have actually watched and seen the stories, and I know what happens is you bring them on a propaganda tour, Mr. President. Do you disagree that you’ve had problems bringing people into your military? And do you think that it’s respectful to come into the Oval Office in the United States of America, and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?”
Zelenskyy: “First of all, during the war, everybody has problems. Even you, but you have a nice ocean. You don’t feel now. But you will feel it in the future.”
Trump Escalates
That’s when Trump jumped in and shut down the conversation. “You don’t know that. Don’t tell us what we’re gonna feel… You’re in no position to dictate how we’re going to feel,” he said. “You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you have the cards… You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III,” Trump said.
“Have you said thank you once during this meeting?” Vance said. “You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October — offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country.”
This statement referenced Zelenskyy visiting the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Scranton, Pennsylvania late last year. While there, he thanked the workers and emphasized the importance of the U.S. supporting Ukraine, but he never endorsed Kamala Harris or any candidate. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-KY) launched an investigation, but I was unable to locate any final reports so it appears they did not find any wrongdoing either.
“Your country is in big trouble,” Trump exclaimed at Zelenskyy. “You’re not winning this. You have a damn good chance of coming out OK because of us.”
While Zelenskyy wants to stop the war, he does not support a cease fire that does not include guarantees of future security or concessions of currently lost territory to Russia.
“I want a cease fire,” Trump told him. “Because you get a cease fire faster than an agreement.”
When a reporter asked, “what if Russia breaks the cease fire?” Trump was incredulous.
“What if anything? What if a bomb drops on your head right now? What have they broken? I don’t know, they broke it with Biden because they didn’t respect him. They didn’t respect Obama. They respect me. Let me tell you, Putin went through a hell of a lot with me,” before enumerating a laundry list of topics related to the Russia interference investigation surrounding the 2016 election.
Conclusion
After the meeting ended, Zelenskyy departed the White House with neither party signing the mineral deal.
The exchange has highlighted Trump’s support for, or at the least non-opposition to, Russia and Vladimir Putin. Moreover, it has highlighted just how focused on personal respect shown to Trump and perceived slights against him will affect his willingness to commit American diplomatic power.
In a later post on social media, he asserted that Zelenskyy “disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
Karoline Leavitt, the White House Press Secretary, described the meeting as “President Trump and Vice President Vance are standing up for the American people” without elaborating further on how.
See the full video here:
Sources:
The full text of the Ukraine-US Minerals Agreement (European Pravda)
What we know about US-Ukraine minerals deal (BBC)
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Press Release: Comer Probes Biden-Harris Administration’s Use Of Taxpayer Funded Resources to Fly Zelensky to Pennsylvania to Campaign for Harris
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