During a heated Oval Office meeting on Friday, President Trump warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky he was “gambling with World War III.” Trump later canceled a press conference, saying Zelensky was “not ready for peace” with Russia.

The visit, initially pleasant, turned tense when Zelensky appeared to patronize Vice President JD Vance. The meeting was expected to finalize a framework deal giving the U.S. a stake in Ukraine’s rare-earth elements.

Tensions rose when Zelensky showed Trump images of Ukrainian civilians before and after Russian captivity. He also gifted Trump the belt of Oleksandr Usyk, the heavyweight boxing champion.

The visit’s optimistic start quickly unraveled, with the rare-earth deal overshadowed by the heated exchange. Trump’s abrupt cancellation of the press conference highlighted the breakdown in diplomacy.

Despite efforts for peace talks, the meeting exposed deep disagreements between the two leaders