Trump-Zelenskyy Clash, revisited
Published: August 15, 2025
In this report, we explain Trump’s changing policy on Ukraine and discuss how it affected international support for the country. Then, we analyse the most noteworthy media takes.
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On 28 February 2025, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Donald Trump and his vice president JD Vance in the Oval Office of the White House.
After the meeting, Ukraine and the US were expected to sign a “mineral resources agreement”: a deal giving the US a share of profits from future rare earth elements mining projects in Ukraine. In exchange, the US would have confirmed its partnership with Ukraine.
Ukraine wanted the US to give it security guarantees: a formal promise to defend it. However, the draft deal only stated that the US “supports Ukraine’s effort to obtain security guarantees”.
There were many causes for tension leading up to the meeting, from Zelenskyy’s past support for Joe Biden and the Democratic Party, to the increasing stakes of the peace negotiations and Zelenskyy’s refusal to follow the White House dress code.
A joint press conference with Trump, Zelenskyy and Vance turned into a heated and emotional debate, as Zelenskyy repeatedly questioned the effectiveness of a ceasefire and diplomatic negotiations with Vladimir Putin, citing examples from the past.
Following the initial exchange between Zelenskyy and Vance, Trump joined in after Zelenskyy speculated that the consequences of the Russia-Ukraine war will soon have negative effects on the US.
Trump accused Zelenskyy of “gambling with World War III” and “being disrespectful”, later ending the meeting early and asking the Ukrainian delegation to leave.
Most US’ international allies voiced their support for Ukraine and Zelenskyy after the meeting.
3 days later, Trump stopped the delivery of aid to Ukraine, stating that the Oval Office meeting showed Ukraine is not looking to make peace.
1 week later, on 10 March 2025, the aid was resumed as Ukraine agreed to a US-proposed 30-day ceasefire. However, this ceasefire was ultimately rejected by Russia.
Instead, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a pause in the strikes on energy infrastructure but this deal also failed.
Ukraine and the US signed the Mineral Resources Agreement on April 30 that established a Fund with US-Ukraine joint ownership of profits from future mining projects.
The new agreement is more detailed and is slightly more favourable to Ukraine than the first version, including more clearly defined terms.
It also specifies that the US can provide military aid that would count toward its contribution to the fund.
The new deal states that it “is an expression of a broader, long-term strategic alignment” and “a tangible demonstration of the US support for Ukraine's security, prosperity, reconstruction, and integration into global economic frameworks”.
The agreement still does not provide Ukraine with specific security guarantees.
In the rest of this report, we look at the changing patterns of aid to Ukraine and discuss US support for the country in terms of exports and intelligence sharing.
Then, we look at the most interesting media reactions to the Oval Office clash between Trump, Zelenskyy and Vance.
In particular, we look at a left-wing conspiracy theory promoted by The Guardian, a conservative column in the Washington Post from an author who previously defended torture, and a retrospective take from the Financial Times.
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