Well, folks, it's been quite the day in Washington. Many were expecting a signing ceremony and a joint press conference with President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy turned into an epic showdown that revealed exactly who's serious about peace — and who isn't.
Zelenskyy arrived at the White House Friday, sans suit, expecting to sign a mineral rights deal that would benefit both the United States and Ukraine. Instead, he left with his tail between his legs after an explosive Oval Office confrontation.
"I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations," Trump stated bluntly after the meeting. "I don't want advantage; I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office."
The president didn't mince words: "He can come back when he is ready for Peace," he wrote on Truth Social.
The liberal media likely soiled itself after watching the confrontation, but Trump knows what he’s doing. Remember how Trump warned during his 2015 presidential campaign that Russia's 2014 limited invasion of Ukraine under Obama was a warning sign Europe should take seriously. And what happened? Russia put its invasion of Ukraine on hold during Trump's presidency only to resume shortly after Joe Biden took office in 2021, with Putin launching a full-scale invasion in 2022 despite Biden's warnings for him not to.
Obviously, Putin wasn’t worried about Biden. And Biden, in turn, gave the war a lifeline by funding it endlessly and without question. Now Trump has returned to office with a real plan to end this bloodshed.
Related: Here’s What Zelenskyy Had To Say After He Got Kicked Out of the White House
The proposed minerals deal would establish "a reconstruction investment fund with joint U.S. and Ukraine ownership. Ukraine will contribute 50 percent of all revenues earned from the future monetization of all Ukrainian government-owned natural resource assets into the fund.” This would place American miners in Ukraine to drive economic growth — a win-win for both nations.
"It's a pathway to peace. It's a pathway to getting something solved. I feel that as the head of this country that I have an obligation to do that," Trump explained Friday during the meeting before everything broke down.
Trump wants peace, and he’ll get a deal that achieves it soon enough.
"I hope I'm going to be remembered as a peacemaker. I'm doing this to save lives — more than anything else… this could lead to a third world war. This was headed in the wrong direction," he added.
Even CNN's anti-Trump reporter Jake Tapper was forced to admit that a pro-Ukraine expert, normally supportive of Zelenskyy, told him that Zelenskyy should listen to Trump.
“Ukraine is losing this war,” the expert told him. “Russia is making tens of thousands of drones per month, and Ukraine can't shoot them all down. Russia is making advances because Russia doesn't value human life and is ok to lose thousands of men a day. Ukraine can't keep up with that and shouldn't.”
Related: Here's What Happened After Zelenskyy Got Schooled in the Oval Office
"There needs to be an end to this war, and there are only three ways out,” the expert continued. “One, America can send military weapons and manpower and potentially this starts World War III. Two, Ukraine can surrender and give in to Putin. Or three, we give this ceasefire plan and deal that Trump is pushing a chance. I would go for option three. Trump was talking about Ukraine getting land back that it has lost just yesterday.”
The expert added, "Zelenskyy knew the position of the Trump administration ahead of time. Perhaps this meeting was a trap, but it's one Zelenskyy could have easily avoided.”
One pro-Ukraine expert, normally supportive of Zelensky, offered me this perspective: pic.twitter.com/0VANpy1QIG
— Jake Tapper 🦅 (@jaketapper) February 28, 2025
The truth is clear: Trump is putting America first while simultaneously working to save Ukrainian lives. Zelenskyy might not appreciate that now, but when he's ready for real peace instead of endless war, America's door will be open — but only on our terms.
