Remarkable images unfolded within the White House, where Donald Trump hosted Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday afternoon (2/28/2025). The two leaders met to sign an agreement for U.S. involvement in Ukraine’s mining industry. However, Zelenskyy openly challenged Trump’s softer approach towards Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian leader contradicted Trump’s claims that Ukrainian cities had become ruins after three years of war, which visibly angered the American president. Trump reportedly told his Ukrainian counterpart to either make a deal or face abandonment. “You’re playing with millions of lives. You’re playing with World War III… and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to your country, this country,” Trump exclaimed, stating it would be “very difficult” to negotiate with Zelenskyy further and urged him to show gratitude towards the U.S. Vice President Jay Dee Vanes also intervened, accusing Zelenskyy of not respecting Americans. As their meeting escalated into an argument, Trump reminded Zelenskyy about the dwindling number of soldiers. Discussing the mining agreement, Zelenskyy invited Trump to visit Ukraine to witness the situation firsthand, emphasizing the critical need for Washington to guarantee the security of any future peacekeeping force. Zelenskyy warned that if Russia isn’t stopped, it could attack Baltic countries. Trump, however, dodged these security assurances, focusing instead on ending the conflict and reallocating funds for reconstruction.