Watch: Zelenskyy leaves White House without signing minerals deal with Trump
Following the heated conversation with US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy left the White House without signing the minerals deal with the US.
Following a heated conversation with US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy left the White House without signing a critical minerals deal. Zelenskyy’s departure early Friday afternoon came after Trump cut short talks over the deal and shouted at Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.
Trump berated Zelenskyy for being “disrespectful.” The pair had planned to sign an agreement and hold a joint news conference.
Untouched salad plates and other lunch items were being packed up outside the Cabinet room where the lunch between Trump and Zelenskyy and their delegations was supposed to have taken place.
Zelenskyy told to leave White House: Official
Zelenskyy and his delegation were told to leave the White House early after the testy meeting with Trump in the Oval Office, according to a White House official who was not authorised to speak publicly.
The landmark economic agreement aimed at financing the reconstruction of war-damaged Ukraine and would have closely tied the two countries together for years to come.
Zelenskyy left the White House after tempers flared during his meeting with Trump. Zelenskyy walked briskly to his armoured vehicle and quickly climbed in, escorted by a protocol officer who saw him off. A planned news conference and ceremony to sign a US-Ukraine minerals deal were cancelled.
White House aides delighted by heated exchange
Earlier, White House aides apperared apparently delighted by heated exchange during the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting “This is going to be great television, I will say,” Trump said as the meeting broke up.
The White House communications team quickly clipped videos of the exchange and shared them on social media. Several Trump aides did so as well.
“President Trump and Vice President Vance will always stand for America and those who respect our position in the world. America will never be taken advantage of,” said Margo Martin, a special assistant to the president who shared one of the videos.
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