The White House chefs were working on the presidential wing on Friday, preparing the chicken dishes with rosemary, cupped and cauliflower root, when the sound of high voices began to float from the oval room.
Inside, a remarkable scene unfolded. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance were rebuking his guest, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a previously unprecedented public implosion of a fundamental global relationship.
For the supporters of Ukraine, the moment was disastrous: everything that could have ran ill at a meeting between two stubborn leaders ran within 10 minutes.
However, despite all the shock, it was not an unforeseen result. In fact, in the period preceding the conversations – which should culminate with the signing of one – many allies of both men were discreetly questioned whether their dynamics, already flammable, would end in triumph or catastrophe.
Efforts to prepare Zelensky for a successful meeting with Trump, which is famous for enjoying being flattered and highly attuned to how it is being treated. The Ukrainian President was warned to focus directly on the mineral agreement – and to avoid being dragged into a fight.
“I told him this morning, ‘The bait does not bite. Do not let the media or anyone else lead you to a discussion with President Trump. What he is doing today is redefining the relationship, ‘”said Senator Lindsey Graham, who was among a group of republican senators and democrats who met Zelensky before he arrived in the White House.
Other European leaders who passed the building this week offered Zelensky their own guidelines, including French President Emmanuel Macron, who found success in an approach to Trump that balances flattery and resistance.
Still others – including some US employees – tried to discourage Zelensky to travel to Washington, believing that it was still necessary to work to strengthen what had already become a hostile relationship.
However, when Zelensky entered the White House gates on Friday, few could predict how explosives would be the 139 minutes that would follow – although some have detected the first signs of problems right away.
Leaving his black jeep, wearing what became his usual uniform – shirt and military pants – Zelensky did not hide any tension with Trump, who toured the runners of the presidential wing to greet him.
But some US officials who watched from afar become a problem: Zelensky’s costume.
“Oh, it’s all Janota,” he shot, Trump with a sarcastic air when he greeted Zelensky and squeezed his hand.
Before the meeting in the Oval Room became a screaming confrontation, Zelensky was questioned by a reporter from a right -wing medium – chosen his finger by the White House to be in the room during the conversations – why he was not using a fact before the highest position in the United States.
“I will use a fact when this war is over, yes,” said Zelensky in English. “Maybe something like yours, yes, maybe something better. I don’t know, we’ll see. Maybe something cheaper. Thanks.”
Perhaps because he learned the lesson from the fashion show of foreign leaders who visited the White House last month, Zelensky did not arrive empty -handed. I brought with it the UFC belt won by the Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk last year.
The colorful gold belt, which was supported by one of the support tables when the two men began to speak, was not mentioned during the conversations, shining under the lights.
During the first 40 minutes of the conversation, Trump did not show any bitterness about Zelensky, discussing the agreement on minerals that planned at the end of the day.
In fact, upstairs of the east room had been prepared a long wooden table for the signature ceremony, with four chairs ready for the signatories.
But it didn’t happen.
Jd vance interrupts Zelensky – From there, everything went wrong
Joining the conversation after he had almost always silent, Vance intervened – “Wait. I want to answer this ” – to defend Trump’s efforts to end the conflict.
“The way to peace and the way to prosperity may be diplomacy,” he defended, directing his comments to Zelensky.
That’s when everything went wrong.
An annoyed Zelensky – himself little accustomed to public rebukes after three years of western support – outraged the ceasefounds that Russia had broken in the past.
“What kind of diplomacy are you talking about, JD? What – what is you – what – what does you mean? ”He asked incredulously.
“I am talking about the type of diplomacy that will end the destruction of your country,” replied Vance, sitting alongside Trump.
From there, the thing fell off.
“I think it is disrespectful of your part to come to the oval room to try to litigate ahead of the US media,” Vance stirred, in an incisive rebuke. “I should be thanking the president for trying to end this conflict.”
When Zelensky tried – unsuccessfully – say a word, Trump erupted fury.
“You don’t have the trumps right now,” he interrupted, passing over Zelensky when he opposed himself.
“They are playing with the lives of millions of people,” he shouted. “They are playing with World War I.”
A few minutes later, Trump cast out the media from the room.
“This will give good television, I say it,” Trump said as journalists came out.
A busy Ukrainian delegation – including the Ukrainian ambassador in Washington, Oksana Markarova, who stopped taking notes during the meeting and simply put her head between her hands – left the oval room to regroup in Roosevelt room at the back of the corridor.
Gathered with his main counselors to evaluate the situation, including Vance, Secretary of State, Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trump was furious, saying he felt disrespected by Zelensky’s tone.
“Zelensky interpreted the situation as incorrectly as possible. He entered the oval room to act like a hard type. It was not well interpreted. Everyone in the room was insulted, ”said a US employee. “Now Zelensky will have to find out how to solve this alone. We cannot solve it for him. ”
The president eventually decided that Zelensky was “not in a position to negotiate,” added a White House employee who instructed Rubio and National Security Counselor Mike Waltz to give the Ukrainians to get them up closely: it was time for Zelensky to leave.
The Ukrainians protested, saying they wanted to continue the talks, the White House employee added. But the request was refused.
When the plates of salad, chicken and crème brûlée that had been planned for lunch were eating in the cars in the hallway in front of the Secretary of Press Office, the Ukrainians received instructions to leave.
The surreal day of failed diplomacy unfolded in a space of less than three hours.
Zelensky’s entourage left the White House gates at 1:42 pm, without any ceremony or farewell. It was taken to a short distance to the Hay Adams Hotel, where the Ukrainian President and his counselors were housed.
Less than an hour later, he sent a message on social networks expressing his gratitude to his hosts: “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thanks for this visit.” Ukraine needs just and lasting peace and we are working exactly for that. ”
Trump’s allies come together around the president
At that time, a White House that had begun the day trying to reach an agreement with Ukraine, suddenly changed course and sought to transform the diplomatic turmoil into a moment of strength, launching an extraordinary offensive of public relations.
“President Trump and Vice President Vance are defending Americans,” a White House spokesman said in the first of several statements on Friday afternoon. A few hours later, another message was sent with support words from Trump’s cabinet members.
“Amen, Mr. President,” said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Graham, an ally near Trump who had met Zelensky earlier in the day, headed for the West Wings outside cameras. Graham asked Zelensky to apologize or considered the possibility of walking away.
“I’ve never been so proud of President Trump,” Graham said.
However, in the East Room of the White House, the scenario for the press conference of Trump and Zelensky was dismantled. A large table for the two leaders to sign the agreement, with three Ukrainian and three American flags as its background, was withdrawn.
During the hours that followed, Trump worked in the presidential wing with his team. He was seen in the Oval Room with Susie Wiles, his chief of staff, and other counselors before leaving to leave the White House over the weekend.
Marine One was waiting, but Trump stopped to speak once again, trying to give her nature to the remarkable turn of the day.
“He wants to continue and fight, fight, fight,” Trump told reporters. “We are trying to end death.”
Asked if he wanted Zelensky to dismiss himself, Trump refused to respond directly by saying, “I want someone to make peace.”
A turbulent day in Washington came to an end when Trump boarded Air Force One and flew to his sea-lag resort to spend the weekend. Shortly after the offset, Zelensky appeared at Fox News for an interview that Trump watched on the presidential plane.
Zelensky said he doesn’t believe he was due to an apology to Trump for the discussion in the oval room, but lamented the fact that everything was unfolded on television for the world to see.
“I don’t think it was good,” Zelenksy confessed to Bret Baier, from Fox News. “I don’t think it was good.”
But Zelensky believes his relationship with Trump and America will survive.
“The US administration helped save our people,” said Zelensky. “We are very, very grateful.”
