This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. I’m Amy Goodman.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says Europe is at crossroads in history as leaders across Europe held an emergency summit in London Sunday, two days after an unprecedented Oval Office public clash in the White House between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and both President Trump and Vice President Vance. After the disastrous meeting, Vice President Vance was met by hundreds of protesters in Waitsfield, Vermont, where he went for a family ski trip. And emergency rallies for a fair peace in Ukraine were held in New York and Los Angeles.
Zelensky had traveled to the White House to sign a deal giving the United States partial control over Ukraine’s raw earth minerals. But the deal imploded following this dramatic televised press conference where President Trump accused Zelensky of “gambling with World War III” after Zelensky insisted Ukraine could only back a Russia peace deal if it included security guarantees from the United States. The meeting ended with Trump and Vance openly criticizing Zelensky. We begin today’s show with an extended portion of the clash.
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: For four years in the United States of America, we had a president who stood up at press conferences and talked tough about Vladimir Putin, and then Putin invaded Ukraine and destroyed a significant chunk of the country. The path to peace and the path to prosperity is maybe engaging in diplomacy. We tried the pathway of Joe Biden of thumping our chest and pretending that the president of the United States’s words mattered more than the president of United States’s actions. What makes America a good country is America engaging in diplomacy. That’s what President Trump is doing.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Can I ask you?
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: Sure.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Yeah?
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: Yeah.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: OK, so, he occupied it, our parts, big parts of Ukraine, parts of east and Crimea. So, he occupied it on 2014. So, during a lot of years — I’m not speaking about just Biden, but those times was Obama, then President Obama, then President Trump, then President Biden, now President Trump. And God bless, now President Trump will stop him. But during 2014, nobody stopped him. He just occupied and took. He killed people. You know what the contact line —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: 2015?
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: 2014.
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: 2014 to 2015.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Oh, 2014.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Yeah, yeah. So, he killed —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I was — I was not here.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Yeah, but —
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: That’s exactly right.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Yes, but during 2014 ’til 2022, well, the situation is the same: The people have been dying on the contact line. Nobody stopped him. You know that we had conversations with him, a lot of conversations, my bilateral conversation. And we signed with him — me, like, and you, President — in 2019, I signed with him the deal. I signed. With him, Macron and Merkel, we signed ceasefire. Ceasefire. All of them told me that he will never go. We signed him with gas contract. Gas contract, yes. But after that, he broke the ceasefire, he killed our people, and he didn’t exchange prisoners. We signed the exchange of prisoners. But he didn’t do it. What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about? What do you — what do you mean?
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Yes, but if you are not strong —
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: Mr. President, 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. Right now you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the frontlines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Have you ever been —
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: — trying to bring an end to this conflict.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Have you ever been to Ukraine that you say what problems we have?
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: I have been to —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Come once.
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: I have actually — I’ve actually watched and seen the stories, and I know what happens is you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour, Mr. President. Do you disagree that you’ve had problems?
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: What?
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: Bringing people into your military?
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Do we have problems?
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: And do you think that it’s respectful —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I will — I will answer.
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: — to come to the Oval Office —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I will answer it.
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: — of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: A lot of — a lot of questions. Let’s start from the beginning.
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: Sure.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: First of all, during the war, everybody has problems, even you. But you have nice ocean and don’t feel now. But you will feel it in the future.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You don’t —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: God bless.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You don’t know that.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: God bless. God bless —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You don’t know that. Don’t —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: — you will not have war.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You’ve got to — don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I’m not telling you. I’m answering —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Because you’re in no position to dictate that.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: — all his questions.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Remember that.
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: That’s exactly what you’re doing.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I’m not dictating.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You’re in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: You will —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We’re going to feel very good.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: You will feel influence.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We’re going to feel very good and very strong.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I’m telling, you will feel influence.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You’re right now not in a very good position. You’ve allowed yourself —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: From the very —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: — to be in a very bad position.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: From the very beginning of the war —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And he happens to be right about it.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: From the very beginning of the war —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You’re not in a good position.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Mr. President, I was in the —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I’m not playing cards.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: But right now you don’t — yeah, you’re playing cards.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I’m very serious, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You’re playing cards.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I’m very serious.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I am the president in a war. You think —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You’re gambling with World War III.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: What are you thinking about?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You’re gambling with World War III.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: What are you thinking about?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I am with all respect to your country.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: — that’s backed you, far more than a lot of people said they should have.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I am very respectful.
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: Have you said “thank you” once?
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: A lot of times.
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: This entire meeting? No, in this entire meeting —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Even today.
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: — have you said “thank you”?
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Even today.
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Oh my —
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: What — what are you speaking about?”
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: — and the president who’s trying to save your country.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Please. You think that if you will speak very loudly about the war, you can —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: He’s not speaking loudly. He’s not speaking loudly. Your country is in big trouble.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Can I — can — can I answer?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Wait a minute. No, no.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Can I answer?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You’ve done a lot of talking. Your country is in big trouble.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I know.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You’re not winning.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I know.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You’re not winning this.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You have a damn good chance of coming out —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: We are staying —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: — OK because of us.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Mr. President, we are staying in our country, staying strong. From the very beginning of the war, we have been alone. And we are thankful. I said “thanks” —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You haven’t been alone.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: — in this Cabinet.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You haven’t been alone.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: And not only in this Cabinet.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We gave you —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I said “thank you” —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: — through this stupid president, $350 billion!
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: You voted for your president.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We gave you military equipment!
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: You voted for your president.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And your men are brave, but they had to use our military.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: What about we’re speaking? You invited me.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: If you didn’t have our military equipment —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: You invited me to speak.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: If you didn’t have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks. OK?
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: In three days. I heard it from Putin. In three days. This is something you —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Maybe less.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: In two weeks. Of course he has.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: It’s going to be a very hard thing to do business like this, I tell you.
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: Why can’t you just say “thank you”? Accept —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I said a lot of times “thank you” —
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: Accept that there — accept that —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: — to American people.
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: Accept that there are disagreements. And let’s go litigate those disagreements rather than trying to fight it out in the American media, when you’re wrong. We know that you’re wrong.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: But, you see, I think it’s good for the American people to see what’s going on in here.
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE: I understand, sir.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I think it’s very important. That’s why I kept this going so long. You have to be thankful. You don’t have the cards.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I’m thankful.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You’re buried there. Your people are dying.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: I can tell you again: I know —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You’re running low on soldiers.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Don’t — don’t — please, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Listen, you’re running low on soldiers. It would be a damn good thing.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Mr. President —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And then you — then you tell us, “I don’t want a ceasefire. I don’t want a ceasefire. I want to go, and I want to this. I” — look, if you could get a ceasefire right now, I’d tell you you take it, so the bullets stop flying and your men stop getting killed.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Of course — of course we want to stop the war. But I said —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: But you’re saying you don’t want a ceasefire.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: But I said to you —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I want a ceasefire.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: — with guarantees.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Because you’ll get a ceasefire faster than an agreement.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Ask our people about ceasefire, what they think.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: It wasn’t with me.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: It doesn’t matter for you what this means?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: That wasn’t with me.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: It wasn’t with you.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: That was with a guy named Biden who is not a smart person.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: But this is your —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: That was with —
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: This is your president.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: That was with Obama.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: It was your president.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Excuse me. That was with Obama, who gave you sheets, and I gave you Javelins.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Yes.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I gave you the Javelins to take out all those tanks. Obama gave you sheets. In fact, the statement is “Obama gave sheets, and Trump gave Javelins.” You’ve got to be more thankful, because, let me tell you, you don’t have the cards. With us, you have the cards. But without us, you don’t have any cards. … All I can say is this: You might have broken deals with Obama and Bush, and you might have broken them with Biden. You did maybe. Maybe you didn’t. I don’t know what happened. But you didn’t break them with me. He wants to make a deal. I don’t know if you can make a deal. The problem is, I’ve empowered you to be a tough guy. And I don’t think you’d be a tough guy without the United States. And your people are very brave.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY: Thank you.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: But you’re either going to make a deal, or we’re out. And if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty, but you’ll fight it out. But you don’t have the cards. But once we sign that deal, you’re in a much better position. But you’re not acting at all thankful. And that’s not a nice thing. I’ll be honest: That’s not a nice thing.
AMY GOODMAN: An extended excerpt of Friday’s public clash, with news reporters looking on, a White House meeting in the Oval Office between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and both President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
AP and Reuters were excluded from the press pool, while a reporter with Russia’s state-owned news agency TASS was there. The White House later said they didn’t know how he had been allowed in and that he was removed as soon as they were notified of his presence.
Shortly after this exchange, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz asked Zelensky to leave the White House without signing any deal.
Trump’s treatment of Zelensky shocked many in Washington and around the world. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said, quote, “I am sick to my stomach as the administration appears to be walking away from our allies and embracing Putin, a threat to democracy and U.S. values around the world.”
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested President Zelensky may need to step down following the White House clash.
Meanwhile, leaders in Europe held an emergency summit in London Sunday, where British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who warmly greeted Zelensky outside 10 Downing Street, called for a coalition of the willing to be formed to support Ukraine if a peace deal is reached.
