The battle of nerves

“He’s dressed smartly,” Trump says as Zelensky gets out of the car that stops in front of the entrance to the West Wing. Donald shakes hands, no joke for reporters who have gathered for more than an hour for a photo. The atmosphere is tense from the start, Zelensky arrives a little late, Trump ironically about his outfit, as soon as he sees the buttoned collar of his military green shirt with the Ukrainian emblem, the same one he showed in December 2022. Biden was at his side.

Reporters move around in search of every detail, word, and expression.

Then, the team of journalists with access to the Oval Office begins to relay to colleagues beyond the wall and the Rose Garden the contents of the conversation between the two. Zelensky is sitting in the yellow armchair, but he does not look at all comfortable, trying to mask his discomfort by crossing his arms, then leaning back, then moving his head, his eyes.

You will notice bloggers, influencers, reporters who are more “Trumpist” than the original, which doesn’t happen often in the Oval Office. A reporter, very close to Trump, asks him: “Why aren’t you wearing a suit? This is the Oval Office.”

Zelensky replies that he will do it when the war is over and maybe buy a nicer suit than the journalist's. This is the atmosphere, the tension is building.

Zelensky's stance is not liked by American officials either. One of them confesses that crossed arms are not allowed in front of the president. Zelensky's agenda is busy, meeting with senators at the hotel, then the White House.

He was supposed to give a speech at the Hudson Institute, but it was canceled after the meeting with Trump, which ended in history. The joint press conference was also canceled. The clash with Trump further inflamed his deputy, JD Vance. The tension is epochal.

The exchange lasts 50 minutes, in the 40th the situation deteriorates. Zelensky insists on security guarantees and recalls the annexation of Crimea in 2014, mentioning presidents Obama, Trump and Biden, and emphasizing that diplomacy needs something to serve as a tool of intimidation. He turns to Vance: “JD, what is diplomacy?”

The Vice President, sensing an opportunity to attack, describes Zelensky's behavior in the Oval Office and before the American media as "unfounded," reminding him that he does not have enough forces to win the war, accusing him of having gone to do electoral propaganda for the Democrats, visiting a munitions factory in Scranton - Biden's hometown.

Zelensky chews, then tries to counter: “Have you ever been to Ukraine, JD?” he asks. The vice president from Ohio replies: “We are preventing the destruction of your country.” And Zelensky: “You are separated by an ocean from us, but the problems will be felt in the future…” Donald interjects: “Don’t tell us what we will feel, you are not in a position to do that.”

The president raises his voice and, with a single blow, buries the dialogue and with it the agreement on strategic minerals. “You are gambling with World War III. You have no cards in your hand, because if you had, you would not be so rude to America. Your country is in trouble, if it were not for American weapons,” and then the list of $ 350 billion spent (not to mention the $ 183 billion through the G7) and the comparison with Obama: “Do you know how many Javelins we gave you?”

Zelensky's defense, "We've been with you in principle from the beginning, thank you for your support," is lost amidst the disbelief of reporters and Trump, who ends everything with a joke: "If you're going to sign the deal, do it yourself."

The agreement on rare earth minerals is not signed, lunch (uneaten) ends up on the tables of the White House.

After the clash, the Ukrainians are gathered in a hall. Donald, on the other hand, speaks with Bessent (Treasury Secretary), Vance, Waltz and Rubio. He is irritated, this is felt by Zelensky's attitude and rhetoric. One official told Reuters that there is now a possibility of reviewing the supply of aid - including military - to Kiev.

Ukrainians are trying to restore relations. Images of the Ukrainian ambassador are circulating online. The delegation is practically begging the Americans to continue. It is up to the administration to tell Zelensky to leave. Rubio, the secretary of state, and Mike Waltz, the national security adviser, escort the delegation to the door. The visit lasts 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Trump issues a statement: “I understand that Zelensky is not yet ready for peace.” And he closes with an invitation: “Let him come back when he is ready.”

In the late afternoon, Trump departs for Mar-a-Lago, and before boarding Air Marine One, he pauses to speak to reporters: “Zelensky has overestimated himself.” Then he adds: “He claims he wants the war to stop immediately, but it seems to me that he wants to keep fighting, fighting, fighting. We, in the meantime, don’t want to put any more people in the grave.”

After an unpleasant expulsion from the Oval Office, Zelensky cancels almost all meetings. No speech at the Hudson Institute. Instead, he posts a message on social media: “Thank you, America, thank you for your support. Thank you, Potus, Congress and the American people. Ukraine needs a just and lasting peace and we will work for it.”

But at 6 p.m., while Trump is on a flight to Florida, he sits down with Bret Baier for an interview on Fox News. He presents his version and refuses to “apologize” for what happened in the Oval Office: “Open discussions are needed,” he explains, but emphasizes that a prolonged standoff is not beneficial to anyone. What Zelensky still wants are security guarantees from America to achieve not just “a cessation of hostilities, but a just peace.” He asks the U.S. to continue supporting Kiev because “we don’t have enough weapons to drive out the Russians.”

Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator, no longer believes that Zelensky will be the one to carry the Ukrainian torch: “What happened will cost him the presidency,” he says. Zelensky responds to Fox News: “The Ukrainians will decide.”

The senator says he met the Ukrainian leader "last night. I told him not to take the bait." / la stampa – bota.al (A2 Televizion)