‘Downright Un-American’

A high-stakes White House showdown between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed on Friday after bilateral talks dissolved into a heated televised exchange.

After meeting with a bipartisan congressional delegation in Washington on Friday, Zelensky arrived at the White House to sign a critical minerals deal that Kyiv had hoped would come with U.S. security guarantees. Prior to the meeting, Trump had also touted the draft agreement as an important step for U.S. rare-earth investments.

But the possibility of such cooperation quickly evaporated, with Trump and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance berating the Ukrainian leader in front of the officials and journalists who were gathered in the Oval Office for what was supposed to be a brief press availability ahead of the substantive meeting.

Trump accused Zelensky of “gambling with the lives of millions of people.” “You’re gambling with World War III, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have,” Trump said.

Vance joined in on Trump’s aggressive rhetoric, asking at one point, “Have you said ‘thank you’ once?” in regard to Ukraine receiving U.S. aid. Zelensky has repeatedly expressed his gratitude for U.S. military and humanitarian assistance.

The Ukrainian president met the Trump administration’s comments head-on. He reminded U.S. officials that Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously violated cease-fire deals, and he remarked that Trump’s comments parrot Kremlin propaganda, including the U.S. president’s claim that the war would have been over “in three days” if Ukraine didn’t have access to U.S. military equipment.

After roughly 50 minutes, Trump ended the public portion of the event, and reporters were ushered out of the room. Shortly after, Zelensky left the White House, reportedly at Trump’s request. The press conference scheduled for later that afternoon was canceled, and the minerals deal was left unsigned.

“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 wrote on Truth Social after the meeting concluded, adding, “He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”

Many of the U.S. president’s Republican allies praised how he handled the meeting. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has long been seen as a staunch Ukraine supporter, said he had “never been more proud of President Trump for showing the American people—and the world—you don’t trifle with this man.”

Russia also rallied around Trump’s bullying tone, with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev writing on X, “The insolent pig finally got a proper slap down in the Oval Office.”

But many in the U.S. political establishment were shocked and disgusted by the Trump administration’s behavior. Republican Rep. Don Bacon called it “A bad day for America’s foreign policy.” And Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said: “This afternoon’s outrageous display from @POTUS & @VP was disgraceful & downright un-American. Once again, they’ve sided with a murderous thug, Putin, over our democratic ally, Ukraine.”

Current and former European leaders and officials expressed similar sentiments. “If only Republicans had a fraction of Zelensky’s courage,” former European parliamentarian Marietje Schaake wrote on X. “The US President meanwhile has removed any doubt that he is making the US an adversary to Europe,” she added. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock were also quick to back Ukraine.

For his part, Zelensky kept his response short and sweet, posting on X: “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.”

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What We’re Following

Tariff “blackmail.” China accused the United States on Friday of “tariff pressure and blackmail” over the Trump administration’s decision to impose additional 10 percent duties on Chinese imports beginning next Tuesday. Such tariffs have “created a serious impact, pressure, coercion, and threat to the dialogue and cooperation between the two sides in the field of drug control,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.

The White House maintains that tariffs are necessary to combat the flow of fentanyl into the United States; Washington has accused Beijing of allowing key materials used to make the illicit drug into Mexico, where it is then manufactured and trafficked across the U.S. southern border. Beijing, however, has said that “remarkable results” have been made in recent bilateral anti-drug cooperation.

“If the U.S. insists on having its own way, China will counter with all necessary measures to defend its legitimate rights and interests,” according to a Chinese Commerce Ministry statement on Friday. It is unclear what such retaliatory measures might be.

Washington’s tariffs on China are due to go into effect just one day before Beijing kicks off its annual parliamentary meeting to discuss the year’s economic priorities. And they will be imposed on the same day that Trump issues 25 percent duties on Canadian and Mexican imports.

A free trade future. India and the European Union agreed on Friday to sign a free trade deal by the end of this year. “I am well aware it will not be easy,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said while meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. “But I also know that timing and determination counts.”

The two sides hope to bolster trade and investment cooperation in emerging industries, such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and clean technology. Von der Leyen said the two leaders also discussed the possibility of implementing a “security and defense partnership” that may take a form similar to what India already has with South Korea and Japan.

Their announcement signals Brussels’ efforts to expand its influence in the Indo-Pacific as a way to counter what it calls Chinese aggression. A “free trade agreement between the EU and India would be the largest deal of this kind anywhere in the world,” von der Leyen said. India and the European Union will hold another round of free trade talks in March as well as a summit later this year.

Seeking accountability. Protesters violently clashed with police in Athens on Friday while marking the second anniversary of a deadly train crash that has become symbolic of institutional failures in Greece. On Feb. 28, 2023, a passenger train collided head-on with a freight car in the Thessaly region, killing 57 people. Victims’ families called for politicians to be held accountable, citing deficiencies in Greece’s transportation infrastructure. So far, only rail executives have been charged with any crimes.

Continuing those demands, unions called a 24-hour general strike on Friday and thousands of demonstrators amassed across the country. These included gatherings outside of the Greek Parliament, where protesters launched gasoline bombs and destroyed public property at local police, who responded with tear gas, stun grenades, and water cannons. At least 41 people have been arrested thus far, and around 20 others have received medical attention.

What in the World?

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid unveiled a plan on Tuesday for postwar governance in Gaza that would see which country temporarily assume control of the enclave?

A. Saudi Arabia
B. Lebanon
C. Jordan
D. Egypt

Odds and Ends

In the English village of Little Steeping, a local church is seeking the return of a stolen painting. The art in question was taken last week and depicts the Ten Commandments, which list “thou shalt not steal” as one of their moral principles.

And the Answer Is…

D. Egypt

Under his proposal, Cairo would take control of internal civilian and security affairs in the enclave while leading a peace force in partnership with Gulf states and the international community, FP’s John Haltiwanger reports.

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