President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused Ukrainian President Volodimier Zelanski of Russia’s Vladimir Putin of not showing gratitude after challenging the vane on the question of diplomacy during the war in Ukraine on Friday.
The argument at the Oval Office was broadcast globally. This canceled the visit to the White House of Zelansky’s White House and questioned how much Ukraine would support Ukraine in his defense against Russia’s 2022 invasion.
Here is a transcript of the major moments of the exchange.
Zelenskyy challenges Vance on Russia and diplomacy
Vance: “For four years, the United States, we had a president who stood in a press conference and talked strictly about Vladimir Putin, and then Putin invaded Ukraine and destroyed a significant part of the country. The path of peace and prosperity, perhaps, who said the United States.
Zelenskyy: “Can I ask you?”
Vance: “Sure. Yes.”
Zelenskyy: “Okay. So he (Putin) captured it, our parts, large parts of Ukraine, East and parts of Crimea. So they captured it in 2014. So during many years – I am not just speaking about biden, but they (Barak) Obama, then Obama, then President Trump, then President Trump, then President Trump will stop.
Trump: “2015?”
Zelenskyy: “2014.”
Trump: “Oh, 2014? I was not here.”
Vance: “That’s perfect.”
Zelenskyy: “Yes, but during 2014 ‘Till 2022, the situation is the same, that people are dying on the contact line. Nobody stopped him. You know that we had a conversation with them, a lot of conversations, my bilateral conversation. And we signed with them, such as you, you, the president, signed in the struggle.
Vance: “I am talking about the kind of diplomacy that is going to end the destruction of your country. Mr. President, with respect, I think it is insulting for you to come to the oval office to try to do it in front of American media.
Zelenskyy: “Have you ever gone to Ukraine that you say what problems we have?”
Vance: “I have to be -“
Zelenskyy: “come at once.”
Vance: “I have really seen and seen stories, and I know what happens that you bring people, you bring them on a promotional tour, Mr. President. Do you disagree that you have a problem, bringing people into your army?”
Zelenskyy: “We have problems -“
Vance: “And do you think that the United States is honorable for coming to the oval office and attacks the administration that is trying to stop the destruction of your country?”
Zelenskyy: “A lot of questions. Let’s start from the beginning.”
Vance: “Sure.”
When Zelansky suggested that Trump ‘felt it in future’
Zelenskyy: “First, during the war, everyone has problems, even you. But you have a good ocean and don’t feel now. But you will feel it in the future. God’s blessings -“
Trump: “You don’t know that. You don’t know this.
Zelenskyy: “I am not telling you. I am answering these questions.”
Trump: “Because you are not in a position to decide it.”
Vance: “That’s what you’re doing.”
Trump: “You are not in a position to decide what we are going to feel. We are going to feel great.”
Zelenskyy: “You will feel impressed.”
Trump: “We’re going to feel very good and very strong.”
Zelenskyy: “I am telling you. You will feel impressed.”
Trump: “You are not in a very good position right now. You have allowed yourself to be in a very bad situation -“
Zelenskyy: “From the beginning of war -“
Trump: “You are not in a good position. You don’t have cards right now. With us, you start having cards.”
Zelenskyy: “I am not playing the card. I am very serious, Mr. President. I am very serious.”
Trump: “You are playing the card. You are gambling with the lives of millions of people. You are gambling with World War III.”
Zelanski: “What are you saying about?”
Trump: “You are gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very derogatory towards the country, this country has supported you much more than many people that they should have.”
Vance: “Have you said thank you once?”
Zelenskyy: “Many times. Even today.”
Vance: “No, in this entire meeting. You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October.”
Zelenskyy: “No.”
Vance: “Provide some words of appreciation for the United States and the President that are trying to save your country.”
Zelenskyy: “Please. You think if you talk very loudly about war, you can -“
Trump: “He is not speaking loudly. He is not speaking loudly. Your country is in great trouble.”
Zelenskyy: “Can I answer -“
Trump: “No, no, you have talked a lot. Your country is in great trouble.”
Zelenskyy: “I know I know.”
Trump: “You are not winning. You are not winning it. You have a good chance to come right because of us.”
Zelanski: “Mr. President, we are living in our country, living strong. Since the beginning of the war, we have been alone. And we are grateful. I said thank you.”
Trump demands that Zelanceci accepts a ceasefire
Trump: “If you did not have our military equipment, this war would have ended in two weeks.”
Zelenskyy: “In three days. I heard it from Putin. In three days.”
Trump: “Probably less. It’s a very difficult task to do business in this way, I tell you.
Vance: “Just say thank you.”
Zelenskyy: “I said many times, thank you, American people.”
Vance: “Accept that there are disagreements, and let’s let those disagreements, when you try to fight it in the American media when wrong. We know that you are wrong.”
Trump: “But you see, I think it’s good for American people to see what is going on. I think it’s very important. So I continued it for so long. You have to be grateful.”
Zelenskyy: “I’m thankful.”
Trump: “You don’t have a card. You are buried there. People are dying. You are running less on soldiers. It will be a very good thing, and then you tell us, ‘I don’t want a ceasefire. I don’t want a ceasefire, I want to go, and I want it.’ See, if you can get a ceasefire now, I tell you, you take it so that the bullets stop flying and your people stop killing. “
Zelenskyy: “Of course we want to stop the war. But I told you, with a guarantee.”
Trump: “Are you saying that you don’t want a ceasefire? I want a ceasefire. Because you will get a faster ceasefire than an agreement.”
Zelenskyy: “Ask our people about a ceasefire, what they think.”
Trump: “It was not with me. He was with a person named Biden, who is not a smart person.”
Zelenskyy: “This is your President. It was your president.”
Trump: “Forgive me. He was with Obama, who gave you the sheets, and I gave you a spear. I gave you a spear to take you out of all the tanks. Obama gave you the chadar. In fact, the statement was given by Obama, and Trump gave Jewel.
Trump says that Putin respects him for his first term investigation
Vance, restoring a reporter’s question: “She is asking if Russia breaks the ceasefire.”
Trump: “If anything? If what if the bomb falls on your head now? Ok, what if they break it?
“The problem is that I have strengthened you (turning to Zelansky) to be a strict man, and I don’t think you will be a difficult man without the United States. And your people are very brave. But you are either a deal or we are out. It’s not a good thing.
“Okay, I think we have seen enough. What do you think? This great television is going to be. I would say this.”
(This story is not edited by NDTV employees and auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
