A tense White House exchange between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy exposed Washington’s shifting position on the Russia-Ukraine war

Breaking with decades of US foreign policy since World War II, the Trump administration has increasingly aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin, raising concerns among longtime allies in Europe, Ukraine, and beyond. In response, the UK and France are leading efforts to form a “coalition of the willing” to help Ukraine end the war with Russia.

During an Oval Office meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump, discussions collapsed when the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a mineral trade deal. The talks quickly devolved into a heated exchange, underscoring Washington’s shifting stance on the Russia-Ukraine war. The televised confrontation between the Ukrainian and American presidents and US Vice President JD Vance led to the cancellation of the rest of Zelenskyy’s White House visit.

You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict

“Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance told Zelenskyy. “Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict.”

As tensions escalated, President Trump warned Zelenskyy, saying he was “gambling with World War III” and that his actions were “very disrespectful to this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have.”

The relationship between the American and Ukrainian leaders has long been uneasy. Their interactions date back to the controversial July 25, 2019 phone call in which President Trump pressured Zelenskyy to investigate his political rival Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for military aid. Though several US officials testified about the call during President Trump’s first impeachment, Zelenskyy avoided directly criticizing him at the time.

Earlier this week, the Trump administration sided with Russia in two key United Nations votes marking the third anniversary of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The US opposed a European-backed UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s actions and instead voted alongside Russia, North Korea, and Belarus. Additionally, the US introduced a Security Council resolution calling for an end to the conflict but excluded any condemnation of Russia, prompting the UK and France to abstain.

Amid what is already considered a historic low point in US-European relations, the meeting between the US and Ukrainian presidents has further alarmed Washington’s allies. In response, the UK pledged a £2.26 billion loan to Ukraine, to be repaid using profits from sanctioned Russian sovereign assets. This move coincides with Britain’s decision to increase its defense spending to 2.5% of its GDP.

Daniel Rakov, a lieutenant colonel in the Israel Defense Forces reserves and a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, described the meeting as “unprecedented” and a clear indicator of a fundamental shift in US policy toward Ukraine.

When Zelenskyy came to Washington to sign a mineral deal, “he understood that it wouldn’t be his ideal deal. There was some ambiguity, and I think he wanted to reduce that,” Rakov told The Media Line. “He wanted the administration to be more concrete on the issue of security guarantees, and that dynamic and expectation led to the confrontation.”

Andrey Buzarov, a Ukrainian political analyst and co-founder of KyivStratPro, believes that while the situation is politically significant, Ukraine has time to adapt. “We don’t see any immediate economic or military effect because Ukraine still has the support that was previously approved by Biden,” he told The Media Line. “We may feel the consequences of this political situation in the future, particularly following Zelenskyy’s visit. However, as a political analyst, I don’t see any immediate consequences.”

We have already endured three years of full-scale invasion and 11 years of war with Russia

Regarding Zelenskyy’s request for security guarantees from the US, Buzarov suggested that securing such commitments would require “a series of interconnected political actions and processes.” He added, “For us Ukrainians, we do not have much time to wait, as we have already endured three years of full-scale invasion and 11 years of war with Russia. This is why President Zelenskyy asked Trump for swift security guarantees.”

Rakov noted that, from Russia’s perspective, this represents a major diplomatic victory. “For the first time since the end of the Cold War, the US is considering Russia as a great power,” he said, warning that this could weaken NATO and the EU while halting security aid to Ukraine.

For the first time since the end of the Cold War, the US is considering Russia as a great power

“Trump providing legitimacy to Putin before securing a deal is a major diplomatic victory for Russia. It reframes the narrative, portraying Zelenskyy as an obstacle to peace while painting Putin as the reasonable party willing to negotiate,” Rakov said. “We might soon see Trump saying that he tried everything, but only Russia wants a deal, and blaming Ukraine for continued conflict. So far, all criticism from the White House is directed at Kyiv, not Moscow.”

Europe can provide a lot, but it’s an issue of priorities and speed

As the US appears to scale back its support, European nations are stepping up their financial and military aid to Ukraine. But how much can Europe provide? “Europe can provide a lot, but it’s an issue of priorities and speed,” Rakov said. “For years, Europe hesitated to meet NATO’s 2% GDP defense spending target. Now, some are talking about doubling or even tripling that in a year. Europe isn’t in the best economic condition, but it has the means. The question is: How quickly can they mobilize? And will words be matched with action?”

Buzarov noted that European leaders’ swift response to the situation signals strong backing for Ukraine. “I am confident that they will reconfigure and reassess the scale of new support for Ukraine, strengthening the financial and military assistance provided—especially Germany, in light of recent elections.” Still, he acknowledged that bureaucratic challenges within Europe could slow down the process.