Trump defends Putin, dismissing Zelenskyy from meeting

President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy had a contentious meeting in the Oval Office, which escalated after Zelenskyy criticized Russian President Putin. Trump defended Putin, dismissing Zelenskyy and jeopardizing a rare minerals agreement between the U.S. and Ukraine. The meeting began politely but quickly turned into a heated argument. Trump accused Zelenskyy of being disrespectful and ungrateful, while Zelenskyy insisted that Putin was the aggressor in the ongoing war. The exchange shocked observers and strained U.S.-Ukraine relations. Trump's defense of Putin marked a significant departure from typical diplomatic conduct. The meeting ended with Trump threatening to abandon Ukraine if Zelenskyy did not accept a peace deal he proposed, leading to Zelenskyy's abrupt exit from the White House.