‘Absolutely Not An Ambush’: Oval Office Brawl With Zelensky Was Not Pre-Planned, WH Officials Say

PALM BEACH — President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance did not plan to tear into Ukrainian President Volodymyr  Zelensky on Friday, senior White House officials told The Daily Wire.

Their reactions to the Ukrainian president’s remarks were their genuine responses to Zelensky’s “antics and bad behavior,” a senior White House official said, noting that the incident was not pre-planned.

“Absolutely not an ambush or pre-planned,” another senior White House official shared. “We expected a great day, econ deal signing, and demonstration to the world that we are partners” with Ukraine “and leading a movement to peace.”

Zelensky came in with “the same nonsense” that the White House had “been dealing with” since Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent went to Kiev, the official added. That official described Zelensky’s behavior as “intransigence” and “a complete missed opportunity” for Ukraine.

After the skirmish, the United States officials and the Ukrainian officials went to separate rooms — and shortly after that, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio took a message to the Ukrainians: the meetings of the day were over, and the Ukrainians needed to depart the White House.

“Those around Zelensky seemed desperate to try to find a fix, but were told wasn’t gonna happen that day,” the senior White House official explained.

The situation unravelled after Vance backed up the president “in a very appropriate way” to a press question, the official said. When Zelensky heard the word “diplomacy,” the Ukrainian president “started a downward spiral of stupid.” That official noted that Vance and Trump are “100% in sync” and that Vance is a “smart fighter and a staunch defender of POTUS.”

Washington, DC – February 28 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy departs after meeting with President Donald J Trump at the White House on Friday, Feb 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

After the meeting, Trump announced that he was cancelling the planned press conference with Zelensky, declaring the Ukrainian leader “not ready for Peace if America is involved.” Zelensky departed shortly after Trump asked him to leave, and has headed back overseas to Ukraine.

“We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today,” Trump said in a statement on Friday afternoon. “Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure.”

“It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and 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,” Trump continued. “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.”

“POTUS and VP were disrespected and right to defend our nation from Zelensky’s stupid attitude that is built on years of Biden simply throwing more and more American money at UKR with no endgame, no path for victory, and no path for peace,” the official argued. “POTUS wants to end a brutal terrible war. It is not at all clear to us what Zelensky wants.”

Zelensky, during an interview with Fox News on Friday evening, thanked Trump and the American people for helping to save his country amid its war against Russia. Asked if the United States and Ukraine’s relationship could be salvaged after the meeting, he responded: “Yes, of course, because relations is more than two presidents. The historical relations, strong relations between our people, and that’s why I always begin with to thank your people from our people. And this is the most important.”

“And of course, thankful to President and of course Congress, but first of all, to your people,” he continued. “Your people helped to save our people.”

“This is very, very important, and we are thankful and sorry for this,” said Zelensky. “I mean this, we wanted very much to have only strong relations, and I very confident, we will have it.”

A senior White House official told The Daily Wire that the President of the United States does indeed really want a deal with Ukraine. Trump wants to keep moving Ukraine and Russia “toward peace, to stop the killing, and bring stability to Europe,” the official said.