Trump greets Zelensky at White House for high-stakes meeting
President Trump welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House on Friday for a highly anticipated meeting amid Trump’s push to end the war in Ukraine.
Trump shook hands with the Ukrainian president outside the West Wing, quipping that Zelensky was “all dressed up.” Zelensky wore a black long-sleeve shirt. The two were set to hold a bilateral meeting and a joint press conference.
At the top of the agenda is an agreement that would give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s critical minerals supply. Trump said Thursday that the deal would allow the U.S. to recoup some of the money it provided to Ukraine for its defensive war against Russia, while providing an economic boost to Kyiv as it looks to rebuild from the war.
Prior to visiting the White House, Zelensky met in Washington with a bipartisan group of senators to discuss continued U.S. assistance for Ukraine.
Trump last week raised eyebrows when he called Zelensky a “dictator without elections,” claimed he was doing a “terrible job” and suggested he was responsible for the start of the war. At one point, Trump said he did not think it was important for Zelensky to be part of meetings on peace negotiations because the Ukrainian leader “has no cards.”
The president seemed to soften his tone ahead of Zelenksy’s visit, however.
“We want to work with him, President Zelensky … and we will work with him,” Trump said Thursday. “I think the president and I actually have had a very good relationship. It maybe got a little bit testy because we wanted to have a little bit of what the European nations had.”
Monday marked three years since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February after amassing troops on the border and demanding a ban on Ukraine ever joining NATO. The invasion took place nearly a decade after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
Trump campaigned on ending the war in Ukraine, and he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month in an effort to kickstart ceasefire talks.
Topics
-
Trump greets Starmer at White House
US President suggested that Britain could escape tariffs if agreement struckFinancial Times - 16h -
Trump meeting with Zelenskyy at the White House
President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are meeting at the White House to finalize a rare minerals deal that would provide profits to the U.S. from Ukrainian extractions. CBS ...CBS News - 7h -
Trump commends Zelensky ahead of White House talks
The US leader plays down earlier frictions and predicts a "very good meeting" on Friday.BBC News - 20h -
Trump meeting with France's Macron at the White House
French President Emmanuel Macron is at the White House for a meeting with President Trump. This comes as Russia's invasion of Ukraine reaches its third year. CBS News' Natalie Brand has more.CBS News - 4d -
Trump meeting with UK's Starmer at the White House
President Trump will meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House as European nations work to have more say in any talks with Russia on the end to the war with Ukraine. CBS ...CBS News - 1d -
British prime minister meets with Trump at White House
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is the latest European leader to make a personal appeal to President Trump to continue U.S. support for Ukraine in the war with Russia, and to stop his tariff ...CBS News - 20h -
White House reacts to shocking Trump-Zelenskyy meeting
The White House reacted on social media to the tense meeting between President Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. CBS News chief White House correspondent Nancy ...CBS News - 3h -
Zelensky leaves White House after Trump talks devolve
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky cut his visit to the White House short after a spat in the Oval Office led President Trump to call off negotiations. Trump and Zelensky were slated to hold a ...The Hill - 2h -
Musk to join Trump’s first White House Cabinet meeting
Tech billionaire Elon Musk is set to join President Trump’s first White House Cabinet meeting slated for Wednesday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Musk's attendance comes as widespread ...The Hill - 3d
More from The Hill
-
Pelosi blasts Trump for 'shameful display' at Zelensky meeting: 'Putin must be overjoyed'
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) blasted President Trump for his “shameful display” during Friday’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, claiming that ...The Hill - 33m -
Rubio praises Trump after explosive Zelensky meeting
Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised President Trump after he and Vice President Vance got into a public spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday “Thank you ...The Hill - 37m -
Wyoming adds new regulations for abortion clinics
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R) signed a new bill into law regulating surgical abortions in the state. Gordon signed House Bill 42 late Thursday night which adds “additional safety requirements” to ...The Hill - 43m -
Top Democrats accuse of Republicans of raising shutdown risk
Top Democratic negotiators on Friday accused Republicans of “walking away” from bipartisan government funding talks two weeks before the shutdown deadline. Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.) and Rep. Rosa ...The Hill - 48m -
Karl Rove: Putin wins in Trump-Zelensky dispute
Republican strategist Karl Rove believes Russian President Putin is the only winner in the public spat between President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Ukrainian President Zelensky in the Oval ...The Hill - 54m
More in Politics
-
Vance leans hard into Trump's foreign policy — and sparks an extraordinary Oval Office skirmish
President Donald Trump, ready to wrap up his Oval Office meeting Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, asked for one last question from the reporters gathered in the room.NBC News - 6m -
Young federal workers express shock, hope after firings
Many recent college graduates who had planned careers in civil service were among those who lost their jobs to cuts pushed by President Trump and DOGE. NBC News' Morgan Radford spoke to several ...NBC News - 31m -
Pelosi blasts Trump for 'shameful display' at Zelensky meeting: 'Putin must be overjoyed'
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) blasted President Trump for his “shameful display” during Friday’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, claiming that ...The Hill - 33m -
Rubio praises Trump after explosive Zelensky meeting
Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised President Trump after he and Vice President Vance got into a public spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday “Thank you ...The Hill - 37m -
Wyoming adds new regulations for abortion clinics
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R) signed a new bill into law regulating surgical abortions in the state. Gordon signed House Bill 42 late Thursday night which adds “additional safety requirements” to ...The Hill - 43m