Volodymyr Zelenskyy was kicked out of the White House and no rare earth minerals deal was signed

 

Vice President JD Vance reveals where things 'broke apart' during Trump-Zelenskyy blowup at the White House

Vice President JD Vance offered his take on the much-watched argument last week at the White House between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, asserting that it all began when his response to a reporter's question put the Ukrainian president "off."

"I do believe that there was just a certain sense of — there was a lack of respect. There was a certain sense of entitlement," Vance said Monday during an interview on "Hannity," his first since the controversy.

At the Oval Office meeting, the former Ohio senator laid out the need to pursue diplomacy to bring an end to Russian President Vladimir Putin's war when Zelenskyy requested to follow up.

PUTIN 'DOESN'T WANT PEACE,' EU CHIEF DIPLOMAT WARNS AHEAD OF TRUMP, ZELENSKYY DEALHe outlined Russia's unlawful annexation of Crimea in 2014, earlier failed peace deals and a 2019 ceasefire broken by the Kremlin.

"What sort of diplomacy, JD, you are talking about? What do you mean?" Zelenskyy said incredulously.

"I'm referring to the type of diplomacy that will stop the devastation of your country," Vance replied. "I think you are being disrespectful for coming into the Oval Office to attempt to litigate this on the American media…You should thank the president for attempting to end this conflict."

He then scolded the Ukrainian president for not being thankful for U.S. assistance and asked if he'd even thanked him in person during their meeting. Zelenskyy has thanked the United States repeatedly on his X account and during a speech to Congress in December 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a briefing with press on July 8, 2023 in Lviv, Ukraine.  (Mykola Tys/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)Vance informed Fox News host Sean Hannity Monday that he tried to diffuse the situation, saying he tried to have the conversation in private.

"The president was like, nope, actually, I don't want to have it in private anymore. I want to have this actual conversation in public for the American people to see," the vice president said.

Trump and Zelenskyy had a tense and historic back and forth in which the president accused the Ukrainian leader of "gambling with World War III."

President Donald Trump waves from his vehicle as he arrives at the Trump International Golf Club, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)The rare earth minerals agreement that the two global leaders were to sign collapsed after Zelenskyy was invited to vacate the White House.

Trump posted on his Truth Social site that his counterpart can return "when he is ready for Peace."

Donald Trump waves to supporters

President Donald Trump waves from his car as he arrives at the Trump International Golf Club, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

"The president has very clearly defined an objective for his administration. He wants the killing to end. And I think that it's very critical that President Zelenskyy and, of course, President Putin as well, they've both got to sit down at the negotiating table. And that's where really things fell apart," Vance described.

"I don't care at all what President Zelenskyy might say about me or anyone else. But he demonstrated a clear reluctance to participate in the peace process which President Trump has stated is the policy of the American people and of their president."

WORLD LEADERS STAND BEHIND ZELENSKYY AFTER TRUMP, VANCE OVAL OFFICE ALTERCATION

"This thing cannot go on forever," he continued. "There aren't enough Ukrainian lives, there isn't enough American money, and there isn't enough ammunition to fund this thing indefinitely. The only realistic pathway to bring this thing to a settlement is President Trump's pathway. We encourage both President Zelensky and President Putin to follow that path."

Zelenskyy doesn't apologize for blowup with Trump, but insists he respects president and USVideo

A high-level Trump administration official informed Fox News on Monday afternoon that it was temporarily halting all U.S. military aid to Ukraine after the dispute until the president decides the Ukrainians demonstrate a willingness to negotiate in good faith.