by Sharon Rondeau
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(Mar. 2, 2025) — During an interview on this morning’s “Sunday Morning Futures” hosted by Maria Bartiromo, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Friday’s Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy devolved into acrimony because Zelenskyy made “unreasonable” demands and came to Washington with a different purpose than signing the rare-earth minerals “deal,” as the White House had planned.
He said Zelenskyy largely aired his grievances in the first “40 minutes” of the meeting prior to when reporters’ cameras were turned on and the arguably shocking exchange broadcasted for the world to see.
The entire exchange can be viewed here in which Trump in his opening remarks acknowledged an earlier “spat” over the agreement but clearly expected it to be signed.
At the time, Zelenskyy sat on the edge of his chair and appeared attentive to Trump’s comments, including that Ukrainian soldiers are “great fighters” and that it was “an honor to have” him at the White House.
Trump then asked Zelenskyy to speak, at which point Zelenskyy decried Russia’s 2022 invasion, its “stealing” of “20,000 children” from Ukraine, and that Ukraine was concerned about its security going forward.
With Trump’s assent, Zelenskyy then showed him photos of what he said were Ukrainian soldiers held in Russian prisons. “They don’t eat; they beat them and a lot of…bad things,” he told Trump. “They don’t have any rules…and I didn’t want to show any changes — images of children — it’s looking tragic.”
Church “pastors,” Zelenskyy said, were also taken captive, with three reportedly recovered through an “exchange.”
Trump examined the photos and agreed they depicted “tough stuff.” “We want to get that ended,” he said, to which Zelenskyy responded, “I think we will.”
At approximately the 8:00 mark, Trump asked reporters for questions, which commenced with one about how much money will be provided to the fund stemming from the mineral agreement as well as how Ukraine’s security would be assured.
“I think once we make the agreement, that’s going to be 95% of it,” Trump said in response to the “security” part of the question.
As far as Russia, Trump said, “We have to make the deal first” prior to formulating a security arrangement.
“This is an incredible agreement for Ukraine,” Trump continued. “Many other things” can be made from the minerals Ukraine possesses, he said.
“We’ve had very good talks on both sides,” he asserted. “…If I were president, this would have never started.”
Another question, presumably from a Ukrainian journalist directed to Zelenskyy, was, “Do you feel like the U.S. is on your side at this moment?”
Zelenskyy did not understand or hear the question and turned to Trump for clarification. Zelenskyy then responded that he “hoped” Trump, in conjunction with other allies, would “bring peace to our country.”
In response to another question regarding his “legacy” (17:37), Trump said he “hoped he was going to be remembered as a peacemaker.”
“This was a big mandate,” he said of the November 5, 2024 election, which, had it yielded a different result, Trump said, “I think this could have very well ended up in a third world war, and that would not have been a good situation.”
A second question from the same reporter directed to Zelenskyy was, “Why don’t you wear a suit?…Do you own a suit?”
The question was followed by laughter from some, then, “A lot of Americans have problems with your not respecting the highest office.”
Zelenskyy responded, “Yeah, yeah…I will wear a costume when we’re finished, maybe something like yours, yes; maybe something better, maybe something cheaper. Thank you.”
To the next question, Trump responded the U.S. would “send arms to Ukraine” but that “hopefully I won’t have to send very much…we’re looking forward to finishing this quickly…so we can do other things.”
“We very much appreciate the agreement because we needed what they had,” he said.
Regarding “security guarantees,” Trump said he chose not to discuss it until “the deal” was “done.”
“The security is the easy part;…everybody stops shooting…I know France is going to; I know the UK is going to; I know other countries are going to. We haven’t committed yet, but…we’ll have workers there, digging, digging, digging, so we can create a lot of product in this country…”
Lutnick told Bartiromo the White House and cabinet members in attendance, of whom he was one, had expected to enjoy a formal luncheon following the signing of the agreement. The entire affair was “designed to be beautiful,” Lutnick said, and regretted the luncheon was never served after Trump, according to Bartiromo, bluntly asked Zelenskyy to depart.
As the cameras rolled, the Ukrainian leader was seen hastily getting into the customary black government vehicle at the White House portico without a formal sendoff, his entourage following closely behind.
Despite the meeting’s unceremonious end, Zelenskyy kept his 6:00 p.m. EST interview appointment with Fox News’s Bret Baier during which he expressed “regret” for the way in which the White House meeting concluded but stopped short of apologizing.
On Saturday, Zelenskyy met with Keir Starmer, Great Britain’s new prime minister, reporting “a meaningful and warm meeting” and a loan guarantee from that nation, though the arrangement was first announced last October, according to the BBC.
After ejecting Zelenskyy from the Oval Office, Trump on TruthSocial accused him of not being “ready for Peace” between his country and Russia.
Perhaps thinking better of his White House stance and considering Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance’s contention he failed to express any gratitude for the billions of dollars in assistance and munitions the U.S. has provided Ukraine over the duration of the war, later Friday Zelenskyy posted an effusive “Thank you” to America, Trump, Congress, and the “American people,” insisting Ukraine is “working exactly” for a “just and lasting peace.”
Updated, 1:12 p.m. EST.