Donald Trump’s meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House descended into an angry shouting match after Vice President JD Vance called the Ukrainian president “disrespectful,” blowing up discussions on security guarantees and a minerals deal ahead of peace talks to end Russia’s war on Ukraine.
In talks this week with French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump appeared to smooth over any previous animosity toward Zelensky. However, much of that appeared undone as the president accused him of “gambling with World War 3.”
Meanwhile, a California federal judge has ordered the U.S. government’s Office of Personnel Management to temporarily rescind directives ordering the mass firings of probationary employees at dozens of federal agencies, a major blow to Donald Trump’s administration as it attempts to drastically downsize the state under the guidance of Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“Congress has given the authority to hire and fire to the agencies themselves,” U.S. District Judge William Alsup ruled in San Francisco on Thursday.
“The Office of Personnel Management does not have any authority whatsoever under any statute in the history of the universe to hire and fire employees at another agency.”
Putin ‘right now saying Thank You to Trump and Vance’ says U.S. senator
Having seen the heated exchange in the Oval Office, New Jersey Senator Andy Kim tweeted: “I’m sure Putin is right now saying “Thank You” to Trump and Vance for abandoning American leadership and attacking our allies.”
Oliver O’Connell28 February 2025 18:17
It was a very difference scene this morning when Zelensky met bipartisan group of senators
It was a very different scene this morning President Volodymyr Zelensky met with a bipartisan group of senators.
The Ukrainian leader wrote on X: “An important visit to the United States. In Washington, I met with a bipartisan delegation from the U.S. Senate.
“Our discussions focused on the continued military assistance for Ukraine, relevant legislative initiatives, my meeting with President Trump, efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace, our vision for ending the war, and the importance of robust security guarantees.
“We take pride in having strategic partners and friends like the United States. We are grateful for the unwavering bicameral and bipartisan support for Ukraine throughout all three years of Russia’s full-scale aggression.”
Oliver O’Connell28 February 2025 18:11
Senator calls Oval Office scene ‘an utter embarrassment for America’
Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut calls the scene that unfolded in the Oval Office between Donald Trump and JD Vance on one side and Volodymyr Zelensky on the other “an utter embarrassment for America.”
Oliver O’Connell28 February 2025 18:07
Trump-Zelensky meeting devolves into shouting match after Vance accuses Ukraine leader of being ‘disrespectful’
What was supposed to be a triumphant White House visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to mark the signing of a mineral rights deal between the United States and Ukraine devolved into an Oval Office shouting match between Zelensky, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
Andrew Feinberg reports from the White House on this developing story…
Oliver O’Connell28 February 2025 18:01
Ukraine’s ambassador seen with head in hands as meeting gets heated
Oliver O’Connell28 February 2025 17:49
‘Your country is in big trouble’ Trump tells Zelensky in heated Oval Office meeting
Oliver O’Connell28 February 2025 17:44
Oval Office meeting descends into ‘shouting match’
Things got testy at the meeting when Vice President JD Vance said it was “disrespectful for Zelenskyy to come into the Oval Office, litigating in front of the American media.”
Mr. President, 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 for trying to bring it into this Ukraine that you see what problems I have been to. I’ve actually, I’ve actually watched and seen the stories, and I know what happens is you bring people. You bring them on a propaganda tour, Mr. President, are Do you disagree that you’ve had problems bringing people in your military, and do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?
President Donald Trump tells Zelenskyy: “The problem is, I’ve empowered you to be a tough guy, and I don’t think he’d be a tough guy without the United States and your people are very brave, but you’re 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.”
“You’re in a much better position, but you’re not acting at all thankful,” Trump adds. “And that’s not a nice thing. I’ll be honest. That’s not a nice thing.”
Oliver O’Connell28 February 2025 17:39
Trump says he is for both Ukraine and Russia
President Donald Trump has said he does not ally himself more with Ukraine than Russia.
Asked if he positions himself in the middle between them or on the Ukraine, Trump said: “I’m in the middle. I want to solve this thing. I’m for both. I want to get it solved.”
“If we can solve it, great. If we can’t solve it, they’re going to have to fight it out, and who knows what’s going to happen,” he added.
Oliver O’Connell28 February 2025 17:33
Zelensky tells Trump: The minerals deal is not enough
Volodymyr Zelensky has told Donald Trump that the minerals deal is not enough to guarantee Ukraine’s security.
Russian president Vladimir Putin began the war and therefore must pay, Mr Zelensky added.
He urged Mr Trump to make “no compromises with a killer”.
But the US president revealed that he has spoken to Putin just days ago, and has reiterated that Kyiv will need to make compromises in order to reach a peace deal.
Alex Croft28 February 2025 17:31
Zelensky says he hope Ukraine and U.S. can stop Putin
President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked President Donald Trump for the deal they will sign later today and said he wanted to talk to the U.S. about what they were willing to do.
About Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said he hoped “together, we can stop him.”
Zelensky said that Ukraine needs U.S. air defenses, the best air defense in the world. “Even after the war, will need calm.”
The Ukrainian president brought out Manila folders of pictures to show Trump — pictures of “ladies and men” impacted by the war, adding he didn’t want to show pictures of children.
Zelensky said of the Russians: ”Even in the war there are rules. … These guys, they don’t have rules.”
Oliver O’Connell28 February 2025 17:28
