Selensky and Trump Tensions escalate in the White House
A diplomatic incident in the Oval Office is causing tensions between the USA and Ukraine. President Selensky regrets the incident, while Trump makes clear demands.
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- Escalation between Trump and Selenskyj: After a heated meeting in the White House, Trump refused further talks and called on Ukraine to make peace with Russia.
- Threat of loss of US support: Trump warned that Ukraine could lose US support without an agreement with Russia, while Zelenskyi hoped for further help.
- International reactions: Selenskyj sought backing from Macron and NATO chief Rutte after the scandal, while the "Kyiv Independent" emphasized that the incident did not originate with Selenskyj.
Emotions ran high after a heated exchange in the Oval Office between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenskyi. Trump ordered the press out of the room and said that enough had been seen. In the following hour, during which neither president appeared in public, Selensky tried to resume the talks, but Trump refused.
Selensky stayed in the White House for another hour or so and asked for the talks to continue. Trump responded with an angry post on Truth Social, letting Zelensky know that he could come back when he was ready for peace. In the end, Zelenskyi left the White House in a limousine.
Before taking off in the Marine One helicopter, Trump told reporters that Zelenskyi wanted immediate talks, but that this was out of the question for him. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed this and criticized Zelensky for his behaviour, which he described as a diplomatic own goal. This was reported by "CNN."
Selenskyj acknowledged that the incident in the White House was not beneficial for either side, but refused to apologize. He emphasized respect for Trump and the American people, but made it clear that Ukraine could not do without the support of the US.
Despite the tensions, Selenskyj hopes that relations will improve and regretted the incident. He emphasized that it was not just about the relationship between two presidents, but between two nations. In an interview, he expressed his regret about what had happened.
After the incident, Selenskyj spoke on the phone with French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to discuss the situation. Macron emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine and the sanctions against Russia.
In Ukraine, Zelenskyi received support from the "Kyiv Independent", which emphasized in an editorial that the incident in the Oval Office did not originate from Zelenskyi. The newspaper made it clear that Ukraine did not want an alliance with Russia and that the incident in Washington was embarrassing.
