‘Zelensky not ready for peace’ — Trump, JD Vance clash with Ukrainian president in Oval Office

United States President Donald Trump says his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, is not ready for peace.

Trump spoke in a social media post after a meeting between him and Zelensky ended in a shouting match on Friday.

The two leaders were discussing efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, but Trump said Zelensky disrespected the “United States of America in its Cherished Oval Office.”

“He can come back when he is ready for Peace,” the US president added.

During the Oval Office meeting, Trump warned Zelensky that Ukraine had to “make a deal with the US, or it would end its support”.

“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,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s going to be pretty, but you’ll fight it out, but you don’t have the cards.”

The meeting deteriorated after the Ukrainian president pushed back against US Vice-President JD Vance’s comment that “the path to peace” is to engage in diplomacy with Russia.

“You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict,” Vance told the Ukrainian president.

He added that Ukraine faces serious problems in its war effort.

Zelensky responded by saying the US has its own problems, and Trump said: “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III.

“And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country. Your country is in big trouble.”

When Zelensky tried to respond, Trump interjected, saying: “No, no. You’ve done a lot of talking. Your country is in big trouble. You’re not winning this. You have a damn good chance of coming out okay because of us.”

In his social media post after the meeting, Trump said much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure.

“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,” he wrote.

“I don’t want advantage, I want peace. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for peace.”

Ahead of the Friday meeting between the two leaders, Trump had labelled Zelensky a dictator with a shattered country.

The US president said Zelensky was only good at playing former President Joe Biden “like a fiddle”.