Video: Zelenskyy Leaves White House Early After Being Booted by Trump, Despite Behind-the-Scenes 'Begging'

President Donald Trump abruptly ended discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after he and Vice President J.D. Vance sharply criticized Ukraine’s leader during a tense Oval Office exchange.

The collapse of the talks comes at a critical and delicate time for Ukraine, as Zelenskyy had been seeking concrete security commitments from the United States. Meanwhile, Trump’s administration was exploring terms to potentially broker a resolution to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Zelenskyy and his team were asked to leave the White House earlier than planned following the contentious meeting.

According to Trump, any future assistance to Ukraine could depend on reaching such a deal.

At the center of the discussions was a significant economic proposal designed to help fund Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. The agreement would have also strengthened long-term economic ties between the two nations.

However, Zelenskyy’s departure from the White House came after tensions boiled over during his sit-down with Trump.

Zelenskyy was seen walking briskly toward his armored vehicle, quickly stepping inside as a protocol officer accompanied him to the car.

The White House subsequently canceled a planned press conference and the scheduled signing ceremony for a U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal.

In response to the meeting’s dramatic breakdown, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer posted his reaction on X, formerly Twitter, addressing the confrontation between Trump and Zelenskyy.

Schumer, a Democrat from New York, vowed that his party would “never stop fighting for freedom and democracy.”

The swift unraveling of the meeting underscored how sharply divided Washington remains over ongoing support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion. Notably, just hours earlier, Zelenskyy had met with a bipartisan group of senators — some of whom, including several Republicans, had expressed optimism about the deal Zelenskyy was preparing to finalize with Trump.

“This is a huge step forward in securing mutual prosperity and peace for Americans and Ukrainians,” said Senator Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, in a statement issued shortly before the Oval Office meeting took place.

Instead of concluding with a celebratory signing, the session ended with Trump walking away from negotiations altogether.

Following the encounter, the White House communications team rapidly assembled and distributed video clips of the meeting across social platforms. Several Trump aides also shared the footage.

“President Trump and Vice President Vance will always stand for America and those who respect our position in the world. America will never be taken advantage of,” said Margo Martin, a special assistant to the president, who posted one of the videos online.

The Defense Department’s rapid response account also weighed in on X, writing: “Thank you @POTUS for standing up not only for America, but for the American warfighter.”

The final stretch of the nearly 45-minute session became particularly heated, with Trump, Vance, and Zelenskyy engaged in a sharp exchange. Zelenskyy, warning against trusting Russia’s diplomatic promises, highlighted Moscow’s long history of breaking international commitments.

At one point, Vance interrupted Zelenskyy, saying, “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.”

When Zelenskyy attempted to respond, Trump raised his voice and warned, “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people.”

“You’re gambling with World War III, 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,” Trump added.