On Monday, March 3, Donald Trump warned that the U.S. would “not tolerate” Volodymyr Zelensky’s rhetoric much longer, as the former president prepared to meet with his top advisors following a tense Oval Office confrontation with the Ukrainian leader.
“This is the worst statement Zelensky could have made, and America will not put up with it much longer,” Trump posted on social media, referencing a report in which Zelensky suggested that the war with Russia was far from over. “This guy doesn’t want peace as long as he has America’s backing.”
Trump also criticized European leaders who met with Zelensky in London over the weekend for emergency talks, claiming they “flatly stated that they cannot do the job without the U.S.” He added, “Probably not a great statement to have made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?” on his Truth Social platform.
The remarks came after a heated meeting on Friday between Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Zelensky at the White House, which escalated into a rare public dispute. Trump and Vance accused Zelensky of being ungrateful for U.S. military aid, while Zelensky pushed for security guarantees from Washington as part of any ceasefire agreement. The meeting ended with Zelensky being asked to leave the White House, and a key agreement granting the U.S. preferential access to Ukraine’s mineral resources remained unsigned.
Trump is now consulting with his top advisors to determine the next steps regarding Ukraine, according to U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, who spoke to reporters on Monday. White House officials have not confirmed reports by Axios suggesting Trump is considering cutting all military aid to Kyiv following the confrontation.
Meanwhile, European leaders, who have proposed sending peacekeepers to enforce a ceasefire while seeking continued U.S. support, gathered in London on Sunday to address the fallout. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Monday about the London talks. According to State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, Rubio “confirmed that the United States is ready to negotiate to end the Ukraine-Russia conflict and will continue working with the UK towards peace in Ukraine.”