During a bilateral Oval Office meeting, Trump, Vance and Zelenskyy raised their voices at each other, with the U.S. president and vice president asking Zelenskyy if he’s expressed gratitude for U.S. aid and telling him he’s “gambling” with World War III.
During the meeting, Vance expressed that “the path to peace and the path to prosperity is maybe engaging in diplomacy,” and decried the “pathway of Joe Biden,” which he described as “thumping our chest and pretending that” the United States’ words matter more than the United States’ actions.
“What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about? What do you mean?” Zelenskyy fired back at Vance after describing the history of Ukraine’s relationship with Russia since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. He also questioned whether the vice president has ever visited Ukraine.
“Mr. President, with respect. I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media right now,” Vance chided Zelenskyy.
Trump tells Zelenskyy he’s ‘gambling’ with World War III in a heated Oval Office exchange , continued
Trump chimed in later, telling the Ukrainian president, “You’re in no position to dictate what we’re gonna feel. … You’re, right now, not in a very good position,” before raising his voice and telling Zelenskyy, “You’re gambling with World War III.”
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“Have you ever said thank you once?” Vance asked Zelenskyy later, with Trump adding later in the exchange, “You have to be thankful; you don’t have the cards. You’re buried there.”
“You’re not acting at all thankful,” the U.S. president added.
