Trump warns Zelensky ‘you’re gambling with World War Three’

President Volodymyr Zelensky left the White House without signing a deal to secure US support for Ukraine in its war with Russia after an extraordinary shouting match with Donald Trump in front of the world’s media.

Mr Trump cut short talks over the minerals deal and berated Mr Zelensky in an angry meeting in the Oval Office, accusing him for "gambling with millions of lives" and suggesting his actions could trigger World War Three.

The last ten minutes of the nearly 45-minute engagement devolved into a tense back and forth between Mr Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Mr Zelensky - who urged scepticism about Russia's commitment to diplomacy, citing Moscow's years of broken commitments on the global stage.

It began with Mr Vance telling Mr Zelensky: "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."

Mr Zelensky tried to object, prompting Mr Trump to raise his voice and say: "You're gambling with the lives of millions of people."

"You're gambling with World War Three, 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."

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky clash in front of the world's media in the Oval Office at the White House | Getty Images

In a later post on Truth Social, Mr Trump repeated that Mr Zelensky was "disrespectful".

"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," Mr Trump wrote. "I don't want advantage, I want PEACE."

"He can come back when he is ready for Peace," he added.

Mr Zelensky had been scheduled to have lunch with Mr Trump and both leaders were going to sign a minerals deal during a joint news conference. Instead, Mr Zelensky's armoured SUV abruptly pulled up to the door of the West Wing moments after Mr Trump's post.

Earlier, Mr Trump laid bare his efforts to coerce Mr Zelensky to agree to giving the US an interest in his country's valuable minerals and to push him toward a diplomatic resolution to the war on the American leader's terms.

Mr Trump said the US 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," Mr Trump said. "We're looking forward to getting the war finished so we can do other things."

Mr Trump suggested that Mr Zelensky was not in a position to be demanding concessions.

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

He also accused Mr Zelensky of being "disrespectful" to the US.

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

"Again, just say thank you," Mr Vance interjected to Mr Zelenskyy, blasting him for litigating "disagreements" in front of the press.

Mr 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," Mr Trump said, before adding, "This is going to be great television."

The harsh words came at a pivotal and precarious moment for Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky listen to Vice President JD Vance as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington | AFP via Getty Images

Mr Zelensky had planned to try to convince the White House to provide some form of US backing for Ukraine's security against any future Russian aggression.

The economic deal, which is seen as a step toward ending the three-year war, references the importance of Ukraine's security. Earlier in the meeting, before tempers flared, Mr 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," Mr Trump said, adding, "It is a big commitment from the United States."

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

Earlier, Mr Zelensky called Russian President Vladimir Putin a terrorist and told Mr Trump that Ukraine and the world need "no compromises with a killer".

"Even during the war there are rules," he said.

After the meeting, French President Emmanuel Macron said he believes "we all were right to have helped Ukraine and sanctioned Russia three years ago, and to continue to do so".

"There's an aggressor, which is Russia , and a people attacked, which is Ukraine ," Mr Macron told reporters during a state visit to Portugal.

He added: "We must thank all those who helped and respect those who have been fighting since the beginning."

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 US-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.

According to the preliminary economic agreement, seen by The Associated Press, the US and Ukraine will establish a co-owned, jointly managed investment fund to which Ukraine will contribute 50 per cent of future revenues from natural resources, including minerals, hydrocarbons and other extractable materials.

A more detailed agreement on establishing the fund will be drawn up once the preliminary one is signed.

Downing Street had welcomed the proposed US-Ukraine minerals deal, and said it would “bind” Washington to Kyiv.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will meet Mr Zelensky separately ahead of a summit in London tomorrowsun focused on security.

A Downing Street spokesman said “the UK has made it clear that we’ll play our full part in ensuring a just and lasting peace deal on Ukraine’s terms, backed up by strong security guarantees”.

The continued diplomacy push over the weekend comes after Sir Keir’s meeting with Mr Trump at the White House on Thursday.

The US president has previously resisted calls to fully commit American military might to guarantee any Ukraine peace deal, but suggested closer economic ties and an agreement on mineral access between Kyiv and Washington would effectively act as a security “backstop”.

Sir Keir returned to the UK yesterday following a trip to the White House which went as well as No 10 could have hoped, with Mr Trump clearly pleased with the King’s invitation for an unprecedented second state visit, giving an indication that he would not block the Chagos Islands deal and suggesting a trade deal could spare British exports from US tariffs.

The Prime Minister faced calls from SNP leader Stephen Flynn to backtrack on the offer of the second state visit for Mr Trump following the terse exchange with Mr Zelensky in the White House.

“Starmer had better get back up off his knees and revoke that offer of a state visit”, the MP wrote on X.

As well as the meeting with Mr Zelensky, tomorrow will see the Prime Minister meet separately with Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and chair a call with the Baltic countries – Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia – before hosting the summit.

Mr Zelensky, Mr Macron and Ms Meloni have been invited to the summit along with leaders from Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Romania, as well as the Nato secretary general and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council.¶

They will discuss the next steps in planning for security guarantees if a Ukraine peace deal is reached – something Sir Keir believes will have to involve the US.