Putin says Russia-US talks ‘inspire hope’ as Starmer set for Ukraine meeting with Trump – follow live – BBC.com
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky have clashed in an extraordinary exchange at the White House, with Trump telling the Ukrainian president to “make a deal or we’re out” You can watch their angry exchanges in the video on this pageThe US president tells his Ukrainian counterpart to be “thankful” and accuses him of “gambling with World War Three”Zelensky says there should be “no compromises” with Vladimir Putin – but Trump says Kyiv will have to make concessions to reach a peace deal with RussiaIt was an unprecedented moment of tension, our correspondent at the White House saysZelensky has now left the White House and a planned news conference with the two presidents has been cancelled”He can come back when he is ready for peace,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platformThis video can not be playedWatch moment Zelensky, Vance and Trump get into angry exchange over Ukraine warEdited by Emily Atkinson in London and Caitlin Wilson in Washington DC, with Myroslava Petsa and Bernd Debusmann Jr reporting from the White HouseChris MasonPolitical editorJust as the rest of us digest the astonishing exchanges
in the White House, so do people in government. Jaws are dropping there just as they are elsewhere. Just 24 hours ago, I stood in the Oval Office as the prime
minister exchanged warm words with President Trump.The atmosphere tonight couldn’t have been more different.
So what happens next?The summit on Sunday, hosted by the prime minister, takes
on an even greater significance, as Europe collectively tries to work out how
it responds to the very public breakdown in the relationship between Washington
and Kyiv.European leaders are just now beginning to respond to the tense exchange between Trump, Vance and Zelensky. In a post on X, Polish Prime Minister and former president of the European Council Donald Tusk addressed Zelensky and said “dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone”.Asked about the confrontation while in Portugal, French President Emmanuel Macron tells French media that Russia is the aggressor and the Ukrainian people are those one being attacked.He adds that European countries and other allies were right to help Ukraine three years ago and to sanction Russia and to continue to do so. He adds that it’s important to “respect” those who have been fighting since the start for their dignity, rights and the security of Europe. We can now bring you footage of the moment that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky left the White House.It followed an angry exchange with Donald trump and JD Vance in the Oval Office, the cancellation of the leaders’ joint news conference and Trump saying “come back when you’re ready for peace”.This video can not be playedMoment Zelensky walks out of White House as press conference is cancelledThe US-proposed rare minerals agreement between the US and Ukraine has not been signed, according to a White House spokesperson.Earlier today, Trump said the pair would sign it during their joint news conference, which has since been cancelled.Fox News’ chief political anchor Bert Baier has posted on X saying, external he’s been told that his interview with Volodomyr Zelensky is still going ahead at 18:00 EST (23:00 GMT).This is despite the Ukrainian president leaving the White House early.Bernd Debusmann JrReporting from the White HouseThe Oval Office meeting, from a Ukrainian perspective, was a worst case scenario.Rarely, if ever, are such tensions so starkly evident in front of the world’s cameras.At one point, Ukraine’s ambassador to the US appeared to have her head in her hands, clearly displeased with the way the meeting was going.These tensions have been brewing for some time.Just last week, for example, Trump repeatedly called Zelensky a “dictator”, while refusing to use the same term for Putin.Zelensky, for his part, said that Trump was living in a “disinformation space” created by Russia – a jab that elicited a strongly-worded and angry response from the US president.Bernd Debusmann JrReporting from the White HouseAs we just reported, President Zelensky has left the White House – appearing to ignore shouted questions in English, Russian and Ukrainian as he did so.Ukraine’s ambassador to the US trailed behind him, at one point appearing to shake her head as she quietly shuffled past.Volodymyr Zelensky has just left the White House following his angry exchange with US President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance.A live feed of the entrance of the West Wing of the White House shows the Ukrainian president rush out through the door and into a black SUV, which drives him away.A few moments ago, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that Zelensky “disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for peace.”The scheduled news conference between Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump has been cancelled, according to the White House, after the two presidents’ tense Oval Office meeting. Tom BatemanState department correspondent, at the White HouseIt is no understatement to say that this was, for Zelensky coming here today, the most critical diplomatic and political moment for him and his country since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago.This has descended into an extraordinary and unprecedented moment of tension, exploding in the Oval Office.Basically, a public dressing down of the Ukrainian leader by Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance It began by Vance saying to Zelensky that the war had to be ended through diplomacy.What kind of diplomacy, Zelensky replied.He was then accused by the vice-president of being disrespectful.This then escalated very quickly in those remarkable pictures you have just seen and heard.Trump and Vance accused Zelensky of being ungrateful for three years of American support, telling him he was in no position to tell the US how it should feel about it.Bernd Debusmann JrReporting from the White HouseThere is a huge pile of journalists outside the West Wing of the White House – most sprinted out of the White House immediately after seeing Trump’s post on Truth Social.US President Donald Trump has shared a statement after his meeting with Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky in the White House.Here’s his Truth Social post in full:“We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. “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 Zelensky is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. “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.”We’re continuing to bring you fuller coverage of the angry exchange in the Oval Office between Trump and Zelensky. Scroll back through our last few posts for more.”If you could get a ceasefire right now, I’d tell you to take it so the bullets stop flying,” Trump says.Zelensky says: “Of course I want to stop the war – “Trump interrupts: “You say you don’t want a ceasefire”. Zelensky says he wants a ceasefire deal with “guarantees”. He tells Trump to ask the Ukrainian people what they feel about a ceasefire deal.”I think it’s very good for the American people to see what’s going on”, Trump says, adding: “That’s why I’ve kept this going for so long.”He repeats that Zelensky “has to be thankful”.Zelensky replies that he’s “very thankful”. Trump cuts in, voice raised: “People are dying, you’re running low on soldiers”.Zelensky says: “I know.”Continuing, Trump tells Zelensky: “Your country is in big trouble.”The Ukrainian leader tries to interject put Trump waves his hands. “No, no, you’ve done a lot of talking”, he says. “Your country is in big trouble,” he repeats.”I know, I know,” Zelensky says.”You’re not winning this,” says Trump. “You have a damn good chance of coming out OK because of us.”The US president adds: “We gave you through this stupid president [a reference to Joe Biden] $350bn, we gave you military equipment… if you didn’t have our military equipment this war would have been over in two weeks”.”In three days, I heard it from Putin,” Zelensky replies.”It’s going to be very hard to do business like this,” Trump says.This video can not be playedWatch moment Zelensky, Vance and Trump get into tense exchangeIf you’re just joining us, we’ve just watched a replay of the discussion in the White House between Trump and Zelensky, and are bringing you a more in-depth look at their remarks.Trump accuses Zelensky of “gambling with World War Three”. He points his finger at the Ukrainian leader.”What you are doing is disrespectful to the country – this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have,” Trump says. Zelensky calmly interjects: “I’m with all respect for your country”.Vice-President Vance interrupts: “Have you said ‘thank you’ once this entire meeting?”Zelensky replies: “A lot of times”. Vance again says: “No, in this entire meeting, have you said ‘thank you’?””You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October. Offer some words of appreciation for the USA and the president who is trying to save your country.”Zelensky tries to respond, saying: “Please, you think that if you will speak very loudly about the war…” He’s cut off by Trump: “Your country is in big trouble”.President Zelensky asks Vice-President Vance if he’s been to Ukraine “to see our problems” (in case you missed it, Vance earlier called Ukraine’s leader “disrespectful”.)Vance says he’s read about it and seen it.Zelensky shakes his head and looks away, and says the US will also eventually feel the consequences of the war.Trump appears visibly frustrated, interjecting: “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. You’re in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel.”We’re going to feel very good and very strong.”More now from the tense and frequently strongly-worded exchanges in the Oval Office.Trump says: “If I didn’t align myself with both of them [Russia and Ukraine], you’d never have a deal.”He adds: “I’m not aligned with Putin, I’m not aligned with anybody. I’m aligned with the United States of America.”Trump says Zelensky has “tremendous hate” for Putin, before adding: “The other side” is not “exactly in love” with him either. “You want me to be tough, I can be tougher than any human being you’ve ever seen… but you’re never going to get a deal that way,” he says. We can bring you some more remarks now from the meeting in the Oval Office between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.There were “lots of conversations” after the war between Russia and Ukraine started in 2014, Zelensky says.”I signed … a deal” for a ceasefire in 2019, Zelensky says, adding he was assured the deal would be maintained – but Putin broke that ceasefire, launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.”He didn’t do it. What kind of diplomacy, JD [Vance], are you speaking about?” he asks the vice-president.Vance replies: “I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media.”You can now watch back the footage of the meeting in the Oval Office between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.We’ll flesh out some of the key exchanges that we brought you in brief over the last few posts – hit the watch live button at the top of the page to follow along.Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
