The meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyj and Donald Trump would continue with a lunch and a joint press conference after questions from reporters in the Oval Room.
Instead, the Zelenskyj left the White House and was accused by Trump of being disrespectful and not “ready for peace”.
The brawl was triggered when Marek Walkuski from Poland’s Public Service Radio asked a question that there is a concern in Poland that Trump is allying with Putin.
– I reminded him that we in Poland saw the United States not only as the richest and most powerful country in the world but also as a good force. I asked him to say something to Poles and others who see the United States that way, says Walkuski.
Trump replied that if he did not ally with “both”, the United States would not get an agreement, to say in the next sentence that he does not ally with any of them, but with his own country the United States and the world.
“You see the hatred he has too Putin, it’s very tough for me to make an agreement with that kind of hatred,” Trump said, pointing to Zelenskyj.
– I understand it, but the other side is not directly fond of him either, Trump continued, referring to Putin.
JD Vance was upset by Zelenskyj’s follow -up question
– Apparently, JD Vance didn’t think about Trump’s answer, so he started answering Trump’s question. Then it escalated very quickly, says Marek Walkulski.
JD Vance announced that the road to peace is going through diplomacy, which he meant that former US President Joe Biden failed. Following Vance’s exposition, Zelenskyj explained that Putin had previously violated peace agreements, and then initiate a full -scale invasion in Ukraine.
– What kind of diplomacy do you refer to JD Vance? Zelensky asked.
The question was the starting point for a fierce discussion, when JD Vance, in response, accused Zelenskyj of being disrespectful to American media.
“You should thank the president for trying to put an end to the conflict,” said JD Vance upset.
Marek Walkuski describes that the atmosphere in the room was tense even before the noise escalated, and then left the spectators in shock.
– I’ve never seen anything like it, he says.