Trump calls Zelensky ‘disrespectful’ for seeking US security guarantees

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have berated Volodymyr Zelensky after Ukraine’s leader sought security guarantees as the US tries to bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Mr Trump told Mr Zelensky that doing so was disrespectful, as the Ukrainian leader pushed for US commitments to keep his country safe from further Russian aggression.

“You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people,” Mr Trump said. “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.”

Broken promises

Mr Zelensky told Mr Trump that promises of peace from Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted, noting the Russian leader’s history of broken promises. Mr Trump said Mr Putin has not broken agreements with him.

“You’ve got to be more thankful,” Mr Trump said.

Mr Vance, one of the administration’s most sceptical voices on Ukraine, said Mr Zelensky was being disrespectful for debating with Mr Trump in the Oval Office in front of the American media.

“Have you said ‘thank you’ once?” Mr Vance asked Mr Zelensky.

Mr Zelensky’s delegation is expected to sign a landmark economic agreement with the US aimed at financing the reconstruction of war-damaged Ukraine, a deal that would closely tie the two countries together for years to come.

The agreement, which is seen as a step toward ending the three-year war, references the importance of Ukraine’s security but it leaves that to a separate deal to be discussed between the two leaders — talks that are likely to commence on Friday.

Advances

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% 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.

Mr Trump has framed the emerging deal as a chance for Kyiv to compensate the US for wartime aid sent under former president Joe Biden.

Specific assurances

But Mr Zelensky has remained firm that specific assurances for Ukraine’s security must accompany any agreement giving the US access to Ukraine’s resources.

On Wednesday, he said the agreement “may be part of future security guarantees, but I want to understand the broader vision. What awaits Ukraine?”.

Mr Trump remains noncommittal about any American security guarantees.

“I’m not going to make security guarantees… very much,” he told reporters this week. “We’re going to have Europe do that.”

If a truce can be reached, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have said they would send troops for a potential peacekeeping mission to Ukraine to ensure that fighting between Ukraine and Russia does not flare up again.

Both leaders travelled to Washington this week before the Zelensky visit to discuss with Mr Trump the potential peacekeeping mission and other concerns about the war.

White House officials are sceptical that Britain and France can assemble enough troops from across Europe, at least at this moment, to deploy a credible peacekeeping mission to Kyiv.

It will likely take a “consensual peace settlement” between Russia and Ukraine before many nations would be willing to provide such forces, according to a senior Trump administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House.

Mr Zelensky and European officials have no illusions about US troops taking part in such a mission.

But Sir Keir and others are trying to make the case that the plan can only work with a US backstop for European forces on the ground — through US aerial intelligence, surveillance and support, as well as rapid-response cover in case the truce is breached.

“You’ve created a moment of tremendous opportunity to reach a historic peace deal — a deal that I think would be celebrated in Ukraine and around the world,” Mr Starmer told Mr Trump.

“That is the prize. But we have to get it right.”

Vague

Mr Zelensky has been vague on exactly what kinds of security guarantees would be suitable for his country, and while he continues to advocate for Ukraine’s eventual membership in Nato, he has also suggested a similar security arrangement would suffice.

But Mr Trump on Wednesday said Ukraine “could forget about” joining the Western military alliance.

Still, Mr Zelensky’s meeting with Mr Trump, their first since the US leader’s inauguration in January, is seen in Kyiv as a diplomatic win for Ukraine.

On Wednesday, Mr Zelensky said being able to meet personally with Mr Trump before Russian President Vladimir Putin does “is a good signal.”

Mr Zelensky said he hopes to discuss whether the US plans to halt its military aid to Ukraine and, if so, whether Kyiv would be able to purchase weapons directly from the US.

He also wants to know whether Ukraine can use frozen Russian assets for the purchase of weapons and whether Washington plans to lift sanctions on Moscow.