Trump and Zelensky’s White House Mineral Agreement Talks Turn into Heated Confrontation

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets with U.S. President Trump’s envoy, Keith Kellogg. (Official website of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy)

People News - On Friday (February 28), what was initially intended as a meeting at the White House to secure a deal allowing the U.S. to mine Ukraine’s rare minerals turned into a heated argument between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump warned Zelenskyy: “Either you make the deal, or we walk away.”

According to Voice of America, after the meeting, Trump issued a statement on social media declaring that the proposed agreement had fallen apart.

"I have determined that if the U.S. gets involved, President Zelenskyy is not ready for peace, because he believes our involvement gives him a huge advantage in negotiations. I don’t want an advantage. I want peace," Trump wrote.

"He disrespected the United States in the Oval Office, which America cherishes. He can come back when he’s ready for peace."

The heated dispute erupted about 40 minutes into the meeting when Zelenskyy brought up Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea. Dozens of U.S. and Ukrainian reporters witnessed the exchange.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance immediately accused Zelenskyy of engaging in a “propaganda tour.”

"I think coming into the Oval Office and trying to make this case in front of the American media is disrespectful to us," Vance told Zelenskyy.

Both Vance and Trump criticized the Ukrainian leader for what they perceived as a lack of gratitude for Washington’s support.

"You have no cards to play right now," Trump said, raising his voice and cutting off Zelenskyy as he attempted to respond. "You are gambling with the lives of millions of people. You are gambling with World War III."

Zelenskyy left the White House early, skipping a scheduled joint press conference.

Later on Friday evening, before departing the White House, Trump told reporters that the talks "did not go well."

Trump said that had the mineral deal been signed, he got the impression that Zelenskyy intended to “keep fighting, fighting, fighting.”

"We are not going to get into a 10-year war and play games," Trump stated.

When asked by a reporter what Zelenskyy needed to do to restart talks, Trump replied: "He has to say: ‘I want to make peace.’"

Zelenskyy’s Response

Despite the abrupt end of the meeting, the Ukrainian leader quickly took to social media to issue a statement to the American public and leadership.

"Thank you, America," Zelenskyy posted on the social media platform X. "Thank you to the President of the United States, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs a just and lasting peace, and we are working towards it."

Later on Friday, Zelenskyy told Fox News that he believed the U.S.-Ukraine relationship could be salvaged and that he did not want to lose the United States as a partner. However, he added that he hoped Trump would "stand more on our side."

When asked whether he owed Trump an apology, Zelenskyy responded: "I think we have to be very open and transparent. I'm not sure what we did wrong."

Rare Mineral Agreement

Before the meeting fell apart, Trump had stated that he and Zelenskyy were close to finalizing a deal.

"We had a very fair agreement. We were looking forward to going there to dig, dig, and dig some more, and to obtain some rare earth minerals," Trump said, as Zelenskyy appeared visibly uncomfortable.

The deal included provisions for jointly owning and managing a post-war Ukraine reconstruction fund, with Ukraine agreeing to allocate 50% of its future natural resource revenues into the fund.

However, a White House spokesperson later confirmed that the agreement was not signed.

Aftermath and Reactions

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a statement: "For three years, President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people have stood on the side of democracy, freedom, and truth. Their success is in the national security interest of the United States. We must stand with Ukraine until victory is achieved."

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, posted on Facebook: "Thank you, President Trump—America’s days of being taken advantage of and disrespected are over." He added that what he witnessed in the Oval Office was "an American president putting America first."

Trump’s public falling-out with Zelenskyy was met with cheers from some Russian officials.

Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, posted on X: "That insolent pig finally got the scolding he deserved in the Oval Office."

Medvedev also agreed with Trump’s statement that Kyiv was "gambling with World War III."

Meanwhile, Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s Chief of Staff, defended the Ukrainian president, posting on X: "The president is fighting for our country, for everyone who supports a just and lasting peace." "Without real security guarantees, the war will return."

European Response

European officials, including those from France, Germany, Finland, and the Netherlands, expressed their support for Ukraine on social media.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas posted on X: "Ukraine is Europe! We stand with Ukraine."

"We will increase our support for Ukraine so they can continue resisting the aggressor," Kallas added. "What became clear today is that the free world needs a new leader. It is up to us Europeans to step up."

First White House Meeting

While Trump and Zelenskyy had met multiple times in the past, Friday’s meeting was their first official White House summit. Earlier this month, after Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he also had a phone call with Zelenskyy.

Since taking office, Trump has increased pressure on Ukraine, claiming that Kyiv was responsible for starting the war with Russia and referring to Zelenskyy as a “dictator.” Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Trump has repeatedly stated that the U.S. has spent $350 billion on the Ukraine war—a figure that far exceeds the actual aid totals recorded by the U.S. Department of Defense and interagency oversight bodies tracking U.S. funding for Ukraine.

At the same time, Trump has been pushing for direct U.S.-Russia negotiations, excluding both Kyiv and European allies. During a press conference on Thursday, he defended this approach, calling it "common sense."

He said negotiations were "going very well" but warned that there was only "a narrow window" to reach a peace deal. Trump also expressed confidence in Putin’s "commitment to his word" and stated that if Moscow reached a peace agreement with Kyiv, Russia would not launch further invasions into Ukraine.