Dastagir Jahangir
Yesterday, I went to the White House to cover the news. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was expected to arrive for a meeting with the most popular American president of this era, Donald Trump. The agenda was to discuss a potential bilateral agreement regarding Ukraine’s mineral resources and explore ways to bring the war between Ukraine and Russia to a swift end.
was supposed to be a formal discussion with diplomatic courtesy, warm hospitality, and an official luncheon. However, as the two presidents sat in the Oval Office speaking in front of the media, a subtle tension became increasingly apparent. Zelenskyy repeatedly emphasized, as he had before, that “Putin is a terrorist,” listing all of Russia’s alleged actions. On the other side, President Trump was visibly unimpressed, making it clear that Zelenskyy was pushing extreme personal animosity. At that moment, we could sense the atmosphere growing more intense.
Despite this, we still assumed the meeting would conclude with diplomatic decorum. However, the turning point came when Zelenskyy directly addressed Trump, saying, “One day, you will see for yourself.” This was the moment President Trump lost his patience. He immediately cut Zelenskyy off, stating, “You don’t need to tell us what we will or won’t see. And you certainly do not have the authority to remind us of anything—you don’t hold that card.”
At this point, all diplomatic formalities collapsed. Vice President J.D. Vance then reminded Zelenskyy that, throughout the meeting, he had not once expressed gratitude for the hundreds of millions of dollars in aid provided by the United States. The conversation that followed became even more heated.
As journalists, we rarely witness such moments. But what was even more astonishing was watching a head of state exert direct emotional pressure on another country, seemingly in a desperate bid to continue the war.
Although a joint press conference and a formal luncheon had been scheduled, everything was abruptly canceled. Zelenskyy, now seen as a warmonger, left the White House empty-handed and disappointed—a stark contrast to just two months ago when he was welcomed as a close ally.
Dastagir Jahangir Editor The Voice News