Trump says Zelenskyy 'overplayed his hand' in White House meeting

President Trump said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s actions in the Oval Office showed that he is not focused on achieving peace for his country in its war with Russia.

Speaking to reporters before heading out from the White House to Florida Friday, Mr. Trump said, “You saw what I saw today. That was not a man that wanted to make peace and I’m only interested if he wants to end the bloodshed.”

Mr. Trump said the Ukrainian president “very much overplayed his hand.”

“We’re looking for peace. We’re not looking for somebody that’s going to sign up a strong power and then not make peace because they feel emboldened, and that’s what I saw happening,” he said.

The Oval Office meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelenskyy saw tensions flare over U.S. wartime support for Ukraine. Mr. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance accused Mr. Zelenskyy of not showing gratitude for billions in U.S. aid, while the Ukrainian leader countered that Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted to honor a diplomatic solution to the fighting.

Mr. Trump stressed that he wants “immediate peace” and said there should be an “immediate ceasefire.”

Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelenskyy were supposed to sign a mineral deal during a press conference, but instead the Ukrainian leader left shortly after the contentious meeting.

He told reporters Friday evening that Mr. Zelenskyy wanted to come back after he left, “but I can’t do that.”

“Either we’re gonna end it or let him fight it out,” he said. “And if he fights it out, it’s not going to be pretty because without us he doesn’t win.”