A tense Oval Office meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky erupted into a heated exchange, with Trump warning Zelensky that “you are gambling with World War III.”

The confrontation, which also included Vice President JD Vance, underscores the growing divide between Trump’s approach to foreign policy and Ukraine’s ongoing fight against Russian.

Why It Matters

The meeting comes at a time of heightened global tension, with fears of another world war rising amid Russia war with Ukraine, which on Monday reached the 3-year mark. According to Newsweek reporting, NATO‘s European members have already started laying the groundwork for defenses, should Russian troops set foot on alliance soil. NATO is trying to prepare for two scenarios—an all-out war and less obvious techniques designed to undermine stability in the alliance’s member countries.

However, Russia is not the sole possible instigator of a potential global conflict. Retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery and former acting Secretary of Defense for Policy James Anderson told Newsweek that any major war will almost certainly result from the tensions between five major players: Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and the United States.

How that plays out depends on a number of factors, such as where the conflict starts and what the impetus is, which would shape the way all major actors and allies respond to whatever acts as the spark.

What To Know

During the meeting, Trump accused Zelensky of being “disrespectful” and insisted that he should be more appreciative of U.S. support.

“I have empowered you to be a tough guy, you either make a deal or we’re out. You don’t have the cards,” Trump said.

The Ukrainian president responded by challenging Trump and Vance’s understanding of the war’s realities, asking, “Have you ever been to Ukraine? Have you seen the problems we have?”

Later in the meeting, Trump told Zelensky: “You’re, right now, not in a very good position. You’ve allowed yourself to be in a very bad position that [Vance] happens to be right about.”

Trump went on to tell Zelensky that he’s “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.”

Vance asked Zelensky: “Have you said thank you once?”

Zelensky’s White House visit comes amid high tensions with the United States over Trump’s efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Trump stunned Ukraine and its European allies this month when he opened a dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war without including Zelensky in the conversation. Trump also falsely claimed that Ukraine started the war and called Zelensky a “dictator.”

Zelensky responded by saying that Trump lives in a “disinformation” universe and accused him of parroting Russian talking points.

Following the confrontation, Trump took to Truth Social to further criticize Zelensky, saying: “I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”

The meeting’s aftermath led to the abrupt cancellation of a planned joint press conference.

What People Are Saying

Former GOP Representative Liz Cheney, on X, formerly Twitter, following the meeting: “Generations of American patriots, from our revolution onward, have fought for the principles Zelenskyy is risking his life to defend. But today, Donald Trump and JD Vance attacked Zelenskyy and pressured him to surrender the freedom of his people to the KGB war criminal who invaded Ukraine. History will remember this day— when an American President and Vice President abandoned all we stand for.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, on X: “President Trump and Vice President Vance are standing up for the American people.”

Minnesota Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, on X: “Answer to Vance: Zelenskyy has thanked our country over and over again both privately and publicly. And our country thanks HIM and the Ukrainian patriots who have stood up to a dictator, buried their own & stopped Putin from marching right into the rest of Europe. Shame on you.”

What Happens Next

As tensions persist, questions remain over how Trump’s approach to diplomacy will influence U.S. support for Ukraine and its allies. With ongoing geopolitical shifts, the implications of the latest confrontation could reverberate well beyond the White House.