Volodymyr Zelensky went to Washington hoping to convince Donald Trump to give him Tomahawk missiles to attack Russia but instead they reportedly had another heated meeting. The US president was reportedly swearing in a “shouting match” with Zelensky at a meeting where the Ukrainian leader failed to secure the missiles. CNN broadcaster Erin Burnett briefly paused her live coverage where she announced the Commander-in-Chief was believed to have tossed aside battlefield maps during his meeting with the Ukranian leader.
Erin stated: “[Trump] was coming to Putin’s defense telling Zelensky in a meeting that reportedly turned into a shouting match that Putin would destroy his country if he didn’t agree on ending the war on Putin’s terms. Even tossing aside maps. She continued: “This is according to the new explosive reporting from the Financial Times. But once again it’s a celebration tonight in Moscow with Trump once again backing Putin.”
They then played a clip where a political pundit on Russian state television said Vladimir Putin “can manipulate” President Trump.
He claimed: “Putin knows Trump all too well. Trump doesn’t understand Putin. Putin can manipulate him very well and lead Trump by his nose.”
The Financial Times reported that Trump was “cursing all the time” during the meeting which often became a “shouting match”. He warned Zelensky that Russia would “destroy” Ukraine if Zelensky didn’t agree to Russia’s terms for ending the conflict.
A European official at the meeting claimed that Trump told Zelensky he needed to agree a deal or face destruction. He stated: “If (Putin) wants it, he will destroy you.”
At one point Trump is also said to have thrown a map of the frontline on the table saying he was “sick” of it, and adding: ““This red line, I don’t even know where this is. I’ve never been there.”
Speaking on CNN, Max Seddon, Moscow’s Bureau Chief for the Financial Times, said the meeting was “not as bad” as Trump and Zelensky’s furious exchange in the White House back in February.
“At one point he cast aside some maps from the battlefield in Ukraine,” he explained, “and said he was sick of looking at it.”
Max continued: “He repeated a lot of Russian talking points and put pressure on Ukraine to essentially accept Putin’s conditions.
“This would have been really shocking for Ukraine because they have done a lot of work over the last few weeks and months to get Trump in a position where the US would pivot to do more to support Ukraine.
“And one call from Putin seemed to make Trump go against all the things he said weeks ago.”
Trump said he was hesitant to tap into the US supply, a turnabout after days of suggesting he was seriously weighing sending the missiles to help Ukraine beat back Russia’s invasion.
“I have an obligation also to make sure that we’re completely stocked up as a country, because you never know what’s going to happen in war and peace,” Trump said publicly. “We’d much rather have them not need Tomahawks. We’d much rather have the war be over to be honest.”