URGENT UPDATE: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is reportedly still affected by a highly charged meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this year. The February 28 confrontation at the White House spiraled into a heated exchange, leaving Zelensky seeking explicit backing from European leaders before his recent talks with Trump in Florida.
According to new reports from Politico, citing an anonymous EU official, Zelensky described the meeting with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance as a “train-crash” encounter that left him traumatized. The altercation occurred while discussing a deal for U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources but quickly deteriorated. Zelensky openly criticized Trump for maintaining a neutral stance on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which led to sharp rebukes from both Trump and Vance.
During the tense exchange in the Oval Office, Vance interrupted Zelensky, accusing him of lacking respect towards the U.S., Ukraine’s primary benefactor. Trump escalated the situation by chastising Zelensky for his approach to negotiations, claiming he was “gambling with World War III.”
Despite the fallout from this meeting, the leaders have since met multiple times, including a recent discussion at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate on Sunday. Following their talks, Trump announced that they are “getting… very close” to achieving a settlement regarding the conflict, although he admitted that territorial concessions from Ukraine remain a contentious issue.
Zelensky presented a comprehensive 20-point peace proposal during these discussions, which includes calls for a ceasefire along the front lines in the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye, and Kherson. The proposal emphasizes the withdrawal of Russian forces and seeks security guarantees akin to Article 5 from NATO for Ukraine, which would involve bolstering its military to an 800,000-strong army.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has dismissed Zelensky’s proposal, stating it diverges significantly from prior discussions held between Moscow and Washington.
This developing situation underscores the ongoing complexities of the Ukraine conflict, with Zelensky’s emotional state and the international response playing critical roles in shaping future negotiations. As tensions remain high, all eyes will be on upcoming diplomatic efforts and the potential for a breakthrough in peace talks.
Stay tuned for updates on this critical situation as it unfolds.
