This is the moment a Ukrainian ambassador held her head in her hands during a fiery meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump.
Oksana Markarova, the nation’s ambassador to the United States, watched on in disbelief as the two presidents erupted in a shouting match in the Oval Office in the White House.
In contrast to Trump’s friendly meetings with Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron, the US-Ukraine talks ended in a spectacular bust-up as Trump accused Zelensky of ‘gambling with World War III’.
Tempers flared with Vice President J.D. Vance also weighing in to give Zelensky a dressing down.
The extraordinarily angry confrontation is threatening to overshadow talks for a ceasefire in the Ukraine-Russia war as the two men shouted at each other.
In front of the world’s media, Trump blasted Zelensky for talking over him, saying: ‘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’.
He went on to say: ‘You have to be thankful. You don’t have the cards. You’re buried there. Your people are dying. You’re running low on soldiers.
‘Listen, you’re running low on soldiers. It would be a damn good thing… Then you tell us, I don’t want a cease fire. I don’t want to cease fire. I want to go and I want this’
Oksana Markarova, pictured, the nation’s ambassador to the United States held her hands as the two presidents erupted in a shouting match in the Oval Office in the White House .
During the spectacular extended bust-up, Trump accused Zelensky of ‘gambling with World War III’
The extraordinarily angry confrontation threatened to overshadow talks for a ceasefire in the Ukraine-Russia war.
He added: ‘You’re either gonna make a deal our we’re out. And if we’re out you’ll fight it out.’
JD Vance also lashed out at Zelensky, saying: ‘Mr. President, Mr. President, with respect. I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media. ;
Following the meeting, the US president issued a statement on his Truth social saying President Zelensky was ‘not ready for Peace if America is involved’ as he feels the ‘[America’s] involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations’ and that he disrespected the country.
He said the two presidents had a ‘very meaningful meeting’ where ‘much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure’
He added: ‘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.’
The fiery exchange happened as Trump met with Sir Keir Starmer and Mr Macron in Washington earlier this week.
In front of the world’s media, Trump blasted Zelensky , saying: ‘what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country
Sir Keir Starmer with Donald Trump in the Oval Office. The PM was grinning on his return to the UK after his successful visit to Washington
Sir Keir bagged diplomatic wins on trade and the Chagos Islands during the discussions ‘
The US president hailed ‘special’ Sir Keir during an extraordinary meeting to discuss Ukraine’s future and the role the two countries have in the peacemaking process.
The PM’s stated top priority for the talks was securing agreement that the US would provide a security ‘backstop’ for thousands of British and European troops who could be sent to Ukraine to keep the peace if Mr Trump manages to broker a truce.
Failure to do so, he said, would allow Vladimir Putin to ‘come again’ and plunge Europe into war.
In the Oval Office, Sir Keir handed Mr Trump a letter from the King inviting him for an unprecedented second state visit, and he responded that he was ‘honoured’ and would be coming to the UK ‘soon’.
Despite the evident warmth, there was little in the way of concrete commitments from the US on Ukraine.
The PM lavished praise on Mr Trump’s efforts to bring peace, but stressed any settlement must be lasting and not favour ‘invader’ Vladimir Putin amid continuing doubts about whether the US will offer security guarantees.
He welcomed a bust of Winston Churchill being returned to the Oval Office, and said they wanted to work together on a ‘new economic deal with advanced technology at its core’.
Pitching himself as a fellow ‘winner’ on stage with Mr Trump, Sir Keir acknowledged that they were from very different political traditions.
But he said they both believed ‘it’s not the taking part that counts, it’s winning… if you don’t win, you don’t deliver’.
