NATO Chief Mark Rutte Warns Zelensky and Asks Him to Work on Rebuilding Relationship with Trump after 'Unfortunate' Oval Meeting

NATO chief Mark Rutte said that he has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to work on rebuilding his relationship with President Donald Trump following their White House clash on Friday. Rutte described the meeting at the White House as "unfortunate."

"It is important that President Zelensky finds a way to restore his relationship with the American President and with the senior American leadership team," Rutte told the BBC on Saturday, commenting on a call he had with Zelensky on Friday. Rutte's warning to the wartime leader follows Zelensky's heated exchange with Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office regarding the terms of a potential ceasefire with Russia.

Mend Your Ways

Tensions ran high, with Trump warning that he would withdraw U.S. support for Ukraine entirely if Zelensky refused to accept his proposed peace terms. Both Trump and Vance repeatedly accused Zelensky of not being grateful for the roughly $100 billion in military help the U.S. has provided to Ukraine, according to a recent estimate.

In response, Zelensky presented photos of his war-torn country to Trump, insisting that he had thanked the American people for their support.

The heated exchange was unprecedented for a public Oval Office meeting and was broadcast on television screens worldwide.

Zelensky became visibly frustrated when Vance argued that Trump was making a diplomatic effort, while former President Joe Biden had failed to prevent Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and had instead spent four years merely "talking tough about Vladimir Putin."

"He occupied big parts of Ukraine. Parts of the east and parts of Crimea. He occupied it in 2014' Zelensky responded, referring to Putin. 'During 2014, nobody stopped him. He just occupied and took. He killed people."

Zelensky pointed out that he had signed a ceasefire agreement with Russia in 2019, alongside Germany and France. He claimed that Putin had violated the treaty by carrying out incursions and failing to honor a prisoner-exchange deal.

"What kind of diplomacy, JD, are you speaking about?" Zelensky asked the vice president.

"I'm talking about the kind of diplomacy that's going to end the destruction of your country," Vance said.

Zelensky tried to cut in but Vance continued: "Mr. President, Mr. President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful to for you to come to 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 front lines because you have manpower problems."

"You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict," Vance added.

Zelensky Angers Trump

Zelensky further provoked Trump and Vance when he said that the U.S. was fortunate to have "a nice ocean" distancing it from the conflict. "First of all during the war, everybody has problems. Even you, but you have a nice ocean and don't feel it now but you will feel it in the future."

Trump immediately cut in and said, "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... You're in no position to dictate what we're going to feel."

"You're gambling with World War III," Trump snapped at Zelensky at one point.

After the cameras left the Oval Office, Zelensky moved to a holding room in the West Wing and did not have any further interactions with Trump.

According to a White House official, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had been present during the meeting, later told Zelensky that his meetings at the White House had ended.

The planned lunch between the two leaders never took place. White House reporters spotted the untouched meal sitting in the hallway outside the Oval Office.

A scheduled press conference with both Trump and Zelensky was also called off. Zelensky was seen leaving the White House roughly two hours after arriving. Shortly after, he shared a message on social media.

He wrote: "Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that."

Zelensky left without signing a multi-billion dollar mineral agreement, which Trump had declared would be Ukraine's only security assurance.