What happened in Zelenskyy meeting with Trump? What was said in heated exchange

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance got into a heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in front of reporters at the White House Friday, with the tense back and forth lasting for several minutes.

Zelenskyy was meeting with Trump at a pivotal moment for his country, as he tries to persuade the White House to provide some form of U.S. backing for Ukraine's security against any future Russian aggression.

But the last 10 minutes of the nearly 45-minute engagement devolved into a strongly worded exchange.

So what exactly happened and what was said?

Here's a recap:

What happened in Trump, Vance and Zelenskyy meeting?

The tense moments began with Vance saying Zelenskyy was being "disrespectful."

"He killed our people, and he didn't exchange prisoners," Zelenskyy said about Russian President Vladimir Putin. "What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about? What do you mean?" Zelenskyy said.

Vance shot back, "I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country, Mr. President, Mr. President, with respect. I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media right now."

Vance continued by telling Zelenskyy that Ukraine has "manpower problems" and said that Zelenskyy should be thanking Trump. Zelenskyy told the vice president that he had never been to Ukraine to witness the conflict.

"I've actually watched and seen the stories," Vance said, "And I know what happens is you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour, Mr. President. Do you disagree that you've had problems bringing people into your military? And do you think that it's respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to trying to prevent the destruction of your country?"

Zelensky tried to object, prompting Trump to eventually raise his voice and say, “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 that’s backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have,” Trump said.

It was an astonishing display of open antagonism in the Oval Office, a setting better known for somber diplomacy.

Zelenskyy told Trump that promises of peace from Vladimir Putin can’t be trusted, noting the Russian leader’s history of broken promises. Trump said Putin hasn’t broken agreements with him.

“You’ve got to be more thankful,” Trump told Zelenskyy.

Earlier in the meeting Trump said the U.S. would continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine, but said he hoped that not too much aid would be forthcoming. “We’re not looking forward to sending a lot of arms,” Trump said. “We’re looking forward to getting the war finished so we can do other things.”

Trump suggested that Zelenskyy wasn't in a position to be demanding concessions.

"You’re not in a good position. You don’t have the cards right now,” Trump said pointing his finger toward Zelenskyy. “With us you start having cards.”

He also accused Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful” to the U.S.

“It’s going to be a very hard thing to do business like this,” Trump told Zelenskyy at one point, as the two leaders talked over each other about past international support for Ukraine.

“Again, just say thank you,” Vance interjected to Zelenskyy, blasting him for litigating “disagreements” in front of the press. Trump, though, suggested he was fine with the drama. “I think it’s good for the American people to see what’s going on,” he added.

“You're not acting at all thankful,” Trump said, before adding, “This is going to be great television.”

What happened after the exchange?

Zelenskyy left the White House without signing the critical minerals deal with the U.S. that Trump had demanded and suggested was a condition for future support for Ukraine.

Trump later called the meeting "very meaningful" in a post on his Truth Social platform.

“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," Trump 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.”

Why was Zelenskyy at the White House?

Zelenskyy's visit was expected to focus in large part on a potential deal with the U.S. on Ukraine's rare-earth minerals, which are used to make a variety of tech products.

Trump previewed the visit during a Cabinet meeting Wednesday, signaling that the two countries had made progress on an agreement that would grant the U.S. a significant ownership stake in Ukraine’s rare-earth minerals as a form of repayment for Washington’s support of Kyiv since Russia invaded in February 2022.

“We’re going to be signing an agreement, which will be a very big agreement,” Trump said.

The deal, seen as a step toward ending the three-year war, references the importance of Ukraine’s security. But it leaves that to a separate agreement still being hammered out by the two leaders.

An administration official said Trump was expected to strike a more “measured” tone toward Zelenskyy than in recent weeks, when he referred to the Ukrainian leader as a "dictator" and a “modestly successful comedian."

Zelenskyy flashed a thumb's up but didn't speak to reporters as he arrived at the White House. He wore a more formal black top rather than his usual military green T-shirt, prompting Trump to quip, “He's all dressed up.”

Meeting together in the Oval Office, Trump said the agreement would be signed soon in the East Room of the White House.

“We have something that is a very fair deal,” Trump said, adding, “It is a big commitment from the United States.”

He said the U.S. wants to see the killing in the war stopped, adding that U.S. money for Ukraine should be "put to different kinds of use like rebuilding.”

What's the latest on the war?

As Ukrainian forces hold out against slow but steady advances by Russia’s larger and better-equipped army, leaders in Kyiv have pushed to ensure a potential U.S.-brokered peace plan would include guarantees for the country’s future security.

Many Ukrainians fear that a hastily negotiated peace — especially one that makes too many concessions to Russian demands — would allow Moscow to rearm and consolidate its forces for a future invasion after current hostilities cease.

If a truce can be reached, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to send troops for a potential peacekeeping mission to Ukraine to ensure that fighting between Ukraine and Russia doesn’t flare up again. Both leaders traveled to Washington this week before the Zelenskyy visit to discuss with Trump the potential peacekeeping mission and other concerns about the war.

White House officials are skeptical that Britain and France can assemble enough troops from across Europe, at least at this moment, to deploy a credible peacekeeping mission to Kyiv.

It will likely take a “consensual peace settlement” between Russia and Ukraine before many nations would be willing to provide such forces, according to a senior Trump administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House.

Zelenskyy and European officials have no illusions about U.S. troops taking part in such a mission. But Starmer and others are trying to make the case that the plan can only work with a U.S. backstop for European forces on the ground — through U.S. aerial intelligence, surveillance and support, as well as rapid-response cover in case the truce is breached.

“You’ve created a moment of tremendous opportunity to reach a historic peace deal — a deal that I think would be celebrated in Ukraine and around the world,” Starmer told Trump.

Zelenskyy has been vague on exactly what kinds of security guarantees would be suitable for his country, and while he continues to advocate for Ukraine’s eventual membership in NATO, he has also suggested a similar security arrangement would suffice.

But Trump said this week that Ukraine “could forget about” joining the Western military alliance.

Still, Zelenskyy’s meeting with Trump is seen in Kyiv as a diplomatic win for Ukraine. On Wednesday, Zelenskyy said being able to meet personally with Trump before Putin does “is a good signal.”

What else to know about the meeting

This is Zelenskyy’s fifth White House visit, but his previous four came during the Biden administration. The Ukrainian president also was meeting with U.S. senators during his time in Washington.

During the bilateral meeting between the two leaders in the Oval Office, Russian state media outlet TASS was seen inside shooting video, according to two reporters in the room.

But a White House official suggested that it was a mistake. “TASS was not on the approved list of media for today’s pool. As soon as it came to the attention of press office staff that he was in the Oval, he was escorted out by the Press Secretary. He is not on the approved list for the press conference,” the official said.