Trump on dispute with Zelensky: Ukraine needed to be forced to do the right thing
18 March 08:30
US President Donald Trump said the war needed to be resolved immediately, and the US was trying to force Ukraine to “do the right thing.” He said the situation was complicated and the dispute was aimed at reaching a peace agreement. This fact was confirmed by Trump himself during a speech at the Kennedy Center, Komersant ukrainskyi reports
Trump said that the war needed to be resolved immediately, and the United States was trying to force Ukraine to “do the right thing”.
“We needed to get Ukraine to do the right thing. It was not a simple situation. You saw a little scene in the Oval Office, but I think they’re doing the right thing now, and we’re trying to reach a peace agreement, reach a ceasefire, and then a peace agreement,” Trump said.
The politician added that a lot of people are being killed in the war in Ukraine and expressed his belief that he had “done the right thing.”
Political pressure and consequences
Trump’s statement provoked a mixed reaction. His words can be seen as an admission of political pressure on Ukraine, which is not new to the international community. Back during his previous presidency, the scandal over a phone call with Zelenskyy in 2019 led to the first impeachment proceedings against Trump.
Today, he continues to promote the idea of a quick resolution of the conflict, proposing a ceasefire and a peace agreement. However, many experts question the realism of such approaches, given the real threats to Ukraine’s security.
What happened at the White House during the February 28 meeting?
on February 28, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Washington, D.C., to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time at the White House. Ukraine and the US were expected to sign a minerals agreement.
This meeting, initially aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two countries, turned into a public conflict that exacerbated the already difficult relations.
The meeting at the White House began with a discussion of an agreement to jointly develop Ukraine’s mineral resources, including valuable minerals such as lithium and cobalt, which are strategically important for the production of military equipment and batteries for electric vehicles. However, the talks quickly turned acrimonious. President Trump accused Zelenskyy of a lack of gratitude for US military assistance and expressed dissatisfaction with Ukraine’s position on peace talks with Russia. He said that Zelenskyy was “playing with the risk of starting World War III” and urged him to strive for peace, otherwise the United States might reconsider its support.
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US Vice President J.D. Vance echoed Trump’s criticism, accusing Zelenskyy of disrespect and unwillingness to compromise. In response, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine cannot make concessions that would jeopardize its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He noted that Russia is an aggressor seeking to destroy Ukraine’s independence and ruled out the possibility of transferring any territories to Moscow.
Following the escalation of the conflict, the meeting was ended early, and Zelenskyy left the White House without signing the minerals agreement. This agreement was supposed to create an investment fund for Ukraine’s reconstruction, where 50% of revenues from state-owned natural resources such as lithium, cobalt, oil, and natural gas would be allocated for this purpose. However, the current draft of the agreement lacked clear security guarantees for Ukraine after the war, which caused concern on the Ukrainian side.
US reaction and Ukraine’s next steps
Afterward, Trump wrote that Zelenskyy was “not ready for peace,” but added that he “may come back” when he changed his mind.
Later, Trump criticized Zelenskyy for saying that a ceasefire with Russia was still “a long way off.” According to him, this was the “worst statement” the Ukrainian president could have made.
After that, the United States suspended arms supplies and intelligence to Ukraine. Washington suggested that the resumption of aid could be considered if peace talks were organized.
After the incident, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was still ready to sign a minerals agreement with the US and that negotiations were continuing at a lower level. He emphasized that Ukraine’s freedom and independence are not for sale and that any peace deal must guarantee the prevention of future aggression by Russia. Zelenskyy also expressed his willingness to step down as president if it would speed up Ukraine’s accession to NATO, emphasizing that his mission would be fulfilled if Ukraine became a member of the Alliance.
The Ukrainian leader emphasized the importance of constructive dialogue with partners and expressed hope for improved relations with the United States. He emphasized that Ukraine deserves an equal dialog with the United States and that direct communication between the leaders is crucial to resolving pressing issues.
International reaction and perspectives
Meanwhile, a summit of European leaders on the war in Ukraine convened by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer took place in London.
The head of the British government expressed his belief that U.S. President Donald Trump’s desire to achieve peace in Ukraine is sincere, and therefore called for “not doubting it for a moment.”
Starmer also said that his country and France would work with Ukraine on a peace plan, which would then be presented to Washington.
French President Emmanuel Macron said that this plan envisages a limited “ceasefire in the air, on the seas and in energy infrastructure” for a month. However, British Deputy Secretary of State for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard said that London had not agreed to this proposal.
