Date: 2025-05-14 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00028142
UKRAINE
ZELINSKY AT THE WHITE HOUSE
TheHill: Zelensky leaves White House after Trump talks devolve
ZELINSKY AT THE WHITE HOUSE
TheHill: Zelensky leaves White House after Trump talks devolve
Original article: https://thehill.com/homenews/5169541-zelensky-departs-white-house-trump/
Peter Burgess COMMENTARY
The world watched some short clips from Zelensky's meeting at the White House ... as did I.
For those that are following Trump's drama on social media or even traditional media, it was a good episode. The ratings are, I belived, 'off the charts'. If its about media ratings, then this is an episode that is very good.
But that is not what the Presidency and meetings in the Oval Office should be about. This is not a sit-com ... though as a sit-com, it can be argued it is a great success!
I do not know who scripted this episode of the Trump Saga ... but it certainly attracted very high ratings.
But in terms of addressing meaningful national and international issues, this episode was just another Trump disaster, ably assisted by VP Vance.
Notably absent from this episode of the Trump drama was Elon Musk ... but I am sure he will be written in to a future episode in a day or two!
Peter Burgess
Written by Alex Gangitano
02/28/25 2:00 PM ET
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky cut his visit to the White House short after a spat in the Oval Office led President Trump to call off negotiations.
Trump and Zelensky were slated to hold a press conference in the East Room of the White House after a bilateral lunch meeting in the Cabinet Room. But when their first meeting of the day in the Oval Office turned contentious, the Ukrainian leader departed.
Trump called off negotiations with Zelensky in a post on Truth Social in which he said the Ukrainian president is not ready for a peace deal.
“It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations,” Trump said. “He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
The meeting in the Oval Office devolved into a heated argument in an extraordinary turn of events, during which Trump called the Ukrainian president “disrespectful” and Vice President Vance accused him of not being grateful enough for the president’s help.
Friday’s meeting was initially focused on an agreement for the U.S. to access critical minerals in Ukraine.
Monday marked three years since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which Trump has insisted wouldn’t have occurred if he was president and that he can bring a peace deal to quickly end it.
Tags Donald Trump JD Vance Volodymyr Zelensky
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