What it was like in the room during Oval Office shouting match

The time began with the aforesaid cordial regular the White House reserves for visiting overseas dignitaries.

Ukraining President Volodymyr Zelensky was welcomed by President Donald Trump astatine the doorway of the West Wing with an honour guard, and the leaders shook hands politely.

We were successful the Oval Office arsenic portion of Ukrainian media pool, witnessing the well-rehearsed formalities.

Zelensky presented President Trump with the title loop of Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk.

Trump complimented Zelensky's clothing.

So far, truthful diplomatic.

But minutes later, what erupted was unprecedented to accidental the least. The genial code devolved into acrimony and chaos. Voices were raised, eyes-rolled, aspersions formed - and each successful beforehand of the world's TV cameras.

The American president and the vice-president berated the visiting leader, accusing Zelensky of not being grateful capable for US enactment that has sustained Ukraine's warfare effort.

Tensions flared erstwhile vice-president JD Vance told Zelensky that the warfare had to beryllium ended done diplomacy.

What benignant of diplomacy, Zelensky replied.

Talking implicit the Ukrainian president, Vance told the visiting person it was "disrespectful" for him to travel to the Oval Office and marque his lawsuit successful beforehand of the American quality media and demanded that helium convey Trump for his leadership.

Journalists successful the country watched with gaping mouths, arsenic an bonzer speech followed.

"You've done capable talking. You're not winning this," Trump told him astatine 1 point. "You gotta beryllium thankful. You don't person the cards."

"I'm not playing cards," Zelensky replied. "I'm precise serious, Mr President. I'm the president successful a war."

"You're gambling with World War Three," Trump responded. "And what you're doing is precise disrespectful to the country, this country, that's backed you acold much than a batch of radical said they should have."

Vance retorted: "Have you said 'thank you' erstwhile this full meeting? No."

Ukraine's ambassador to the US watched with her caput successful her hands.

The ambiance had shifted wholly - and each retired successful the open.

Our American colleagues remarked that they had ne'er seen thing similar it. "A country similar this was simply unimaginable successful the White House," 1 told me.

As reporters exited the Oval Office, galore stood still, successful a authorities of shock. In the White House briefing room, wherever the speech was replayed soon afterwards, the remainder of the media who hadn't been successful the country watched successful disbelief.

Confusion ensued. There were contiguous questions astir whether the planned quality league would spell up – oregon if the much-anticipated woody betwixt the US and Ukraine implicit mineral resources would adjacent beryllium signed.

Minutes later, Trump posted connected Truth Social that Zelensky could "come backmost erstwhile helium is acceptable for peace".

The quality league and deal-signing ceremonial - acceptable to instrumentality spot successful the East Room of the White House - was officially cancelled.

Soon aft Zelensky strode retired and into a waiting SUV, arsenic his ambassador trailed down him.

They pulled distant arsenic the satellite was lone opening to digest an bonzer moment.

Despite the full-blown argument, determination whitethorn inactive beryllium a minerals woody sooner oregon later.

But 1 happening is certain: this sojourn by Zelensky volition beryllium remembered for wholly antithetic reasons.

The satellite saw first-hand however negotiations betwixt the US and Ukraine are unfolding: they are difficult, emotional, and tense.

It was wide that this was a pugnacious dialog for some parties.

The acquisition of Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk's loop surely didn't prevention the situation. And aft this bout astatine the White House, the existent question present is what this means for the warfare successful Ukraine - and Zelensky's ain future.