Zelenskyy leaves White House after contentious meeting with Trump; mineral deal's fate unclear

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy left the White House after an explosive meeting with President Trump, leaving the fate of a mineral deal in limbo.

Mr. Zelenskyy entered his limo only a few minutes after he got into a shouting match with Mr. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance over the amount of aid the U.S. has provided Ukraine. The White House canceled a joint press conference that was scheduled for later Friday.

The Ukrainian president didn’t take questions from the media as he hastily departed from the White House.

A White House spokesperson said afterward that a mineral deal wasn’t signed. In a statement, Mr. Trump described the meeting as “very meaningful,” adding that “much was learned” through conversation.

“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. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace,” the president posted on social media.

The mineral deal would give the U.S. half the revenues from Ukrainian rare-earth sales but doesn’t include any American security guarantees. Mr. Trump has pushed for the deal as payback for the billions in aid the U.S. has sent to Kyiv.

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At a joint press conference Thursday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Mr. Trump said having U.S. companies mining Ukrainian minerals will be enough to deter a second invasion.

“I don’t think anyone is going to play around if we’re there with a lot of workers,” he said.

Under the deal approved this week by the Ukrainian government, a joint U.S.-Ukraine ownership venture would be established, with Kyiv reinvesting half its revenues from the fund to redevelop the war-ravaged nation.

If the initial framework becomes formal, the two countries would negotiate a subsequent agreement over the fund and its operation. Mr. Trump has demanded $500 billion of Ukrainian rare-earth minerals in exchange for what he says is $350 in aid America has provided; the current version doesn’t include a concrete figure for mineral revenues.

Rare earths include 17 elements and 15 metals. They’re used in a wide range of applications, including consumer electronics, electric vehicles, aircraft engines, medical equipment, oil refining and military applications like missiles and radar systems.