A tense exchange this weekend between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blew apart hopes for a rare earth minerals pact and jacked up tensions between the two countries.
The row broke out in the Oval Office, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance saying Zelenskyy was ungrateful for U.S. backing. “He disrespect for the USA @TheExactTimeline and the Presidents Office it symbolizes was superbly disgusting!”, Trump wrote on Truth Social, stating that Zelenskyy could come to the Oval Office whenever he is ready for peace.
Zelenskyy, however, remained firm, insisting Ukraine wanted “just and lasting peace”, but required security guarantees. Appearing on Fox News, he refused to apologize, saying, “I’m not that sure I did something wrong.” 
The disagreement focused on Trump’s efforts to persuade Ukraine to sign a U.S.-sponsored deal with regards to rare earth minerals, an advancement that Zelenskyy shot down because of worries over national security. Things became rowdy when Vance jumped the barrel that Ukraine was delaying the war. Countering, Mr Zelenskyy pointed out Russia’s past breaches of understandings.
The fallout was swift. The planned joint press conference never took place, and Zelenskyy depated from the White House suddenly. Trump supporters argued that he is owed an apology, while the other side expressed outrage that the exchange was humiliating. The confrontation—coming as negotiations have faltered—hails to a deepening divide over U.S. intervention in Ukraine’s war, and future of diplomacy.
