On February 28, 2025, Donald Trump, the president of the United States, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, held a highly contentious, bilateral meeting televised live in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C..[1] It was to discuss continued U.S. support for Ukraine in repelling the ongoing Russian invasion of the country, and was expected to conclude with the signing of the Ukraine–United States Mineral Resources Agreement; but the meeting ended abruptly without a clear resolution.

By 2025, Ukraine heavily relied on international aid, particularly from Western countries, including the United States under the administration of Joe Biden, to continue its war effort.

[33] The Trump administration initially intended to cancel Zelenskyy's trip to Washington one week beforehand but was persuaded by French president Emmanuel Macron to proceed with it.

Roughly 40 minutes into the meeting, Polskie Radio reporter Marek Wałkuski [pl] asked Trump, "I'm talking with my friends in Poland, and they are worried that you align yourself too much with Putin.

[46][52] Vance replied that he was discussing "diplomacy that's going to end the destruction of" Ukraine, telling Zelenskyy, "It's disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media.

"[64] Trump then referenced the Mueller special counsel investigation into him regarding Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, commenting that Putin "went through a hell of a lot" with him, "went through a phony witch hunt where they used him and Russia."

[70] According to The New York Times and CNN, U.S. officials then decided to ask Zelenskyy to leave, with the Ukrainian delegation waiting in the Roosevelt Room while Rubio and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz were sent to deliver the message.

[86] Zelenskyy later issued a lengthier statement again thanking the United States for its support and expressing his hope for "strong relations with America" and the Trump administration.

Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov described the confrontation as "another Putin trap" which "failed", and praised Zelenskyy "for the courage to call things by their proper names, and to defend our people's honour".

Foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said on social media that Zelenskyy had "the bravery and strength to stand up for what is right", adding that Ukraine has "always been and will continue to be grateful to America for its support".

[92] Inna Sovsun, a people's deputy belonging to the Holos party, expressed her shock at the events but said, "Under no circumstances should we agree to calls for the president to resign, and I'm saying that as an opposition MP.

[98][86] Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard accused Zelenskyy of "drag[ging] the United States into a nuclear war with Russia/WW3 for years" and thanked Trump for his "unwavering leadership".

[100] Senate majority whip John Barrasso sided with Trump, saying that Zelenskyy's "behavior in the Oval Office today set back efforts to secure peace for his nation".

[101] Most Republican senators supported Trump and Vance, including Mike Lee, who praised the two "for standing up to our country and putting America first", and Jim Banks, who accused Zelenskyy of "ungratefully expect[ing] us to bankroll and escalate another forever war–all while disrespecting the President" and "working Americans".

"[108] Conversely, representative Don Bacon, a moderate Republican, said that the events were a "bad day for America's foreign policy" and that Ukraine wanted "to be part of the West.

Representative Brian Fitzpatrick described the turn of events as "heartbreaking" and expressed optimism that Trump and Zelenskyy would return to a future discussion to find a "mutually agreeable solution".

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer commented that Trump and Vance were "doing Putin's dirty work" and added that the Democrats would "never stop fighting for freedom and democracy".

[103] Representative Gregory Meeks, who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, described Trump as "an existential danger", "a petulant child that demands displays of loyalty in court, and a tyrant with sympathies for autocrats and dictators, so long as they stroke his ego or enrich him and his family".

Sheldon Whitehouse, the junior senator from Rhode Island, who met with Zelenskyy earlier in the day, also accused Trump and Vance of "acting like ventriloquist dummies for Putin".

[71] Former president, former prime minister and deputy chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev praised the incident, tweeting that the "insolent pig finally got a proper slap down in the Oval Office", and agreeing with Trump's point of view.

The Wall Street Journal described the meeting as "imploding", highlighting its potential to undermine hopes for peace and casting doubt on future U.S. support for Ukraine.

[179] NPR commented that American foreign policy under Trump now "downplays alliances and is open for business with any country — depending on what's in it for the United States in the short run".

[180] The New York Times highlighted that Trump's aggressive behavior and harsh words towards Zelenskyy shattered the three-year wartime partnership between the United States and Ukraine.

The meeting, described as a "shouting match" broadcast to the world, underscored Trump's increasing willingness to sacrifice Ukraine for his broader vision of rebuilding relations with Russia and abandoning traditional alliances.

[181] An NBC News analysis suggested that the argument represented "Trump's deep impatience with Ukraine and its democratically elected president, and his persistent defense of Russia's autocratic ruler".

[182] Ravi Agrawal, the editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy, commented that Trump had "pushed the boundaries of press attention" and ensured that "a freewheeling discussion was aired out in front of the world's cameras" during every bilateral meeting at the White House.

[187] Many newspapers in the United Kingdom highlighted the meeting,[188] including The Guardian, which described it as "one of the greatest diplomatic disasters in modern history" and particularly singled out Vance for his role in starting the confrontation.

"[192] According to the Associated Press, many ordinary Ukrainians were "unfazed" by the row, but generally agreed that Zelenskyy "had stood up for their country's dignity and interests by firmly maintaining his stance in the face of chiding from some of the world's most powerful men", while some argued that he should have listened to Trump's point of view.

Ukrainian blogger and journalist Illia Ponomarenko said that Trump would have "found a reason to get offended" even if Zelenskyy had remained silent, adding, "Ukraine is the coolest country in the world right now – again.

"[90][89] Pro-Kremlin political scientist and former close advisor to Vladimir Putin, Sergei Markov, told the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter: "From a psychological point of view, it is certainly pleasant that the Western world is divided.