A gold-colored belt of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was in a corner of the hall, while a screaming match followed between US President Donald Trump and his Ukraine counterpart Volodymyr Zensky in the White House yesterday. It came as a gift from Zensky to Trump in line with souvenirs who were brought into the past by leaders.
The UFC Riem was won last year by the Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk by beating British boxer Tyson Fury. The accompanied Zensky when he entered the White House to discuss a ceasefire with Russia, a deal now in cracks after an ugly collision of the presidents.
However, the noise of their argument overshadowed the largest sports prize of Ukraine given as a gift to Trump. What a movement of Zensky seemed to be to get into Trump’s good books after he was called a “terrorist” did little to his advantage.
The gift was probably even ignored. More humiliation followed when the Ukrainian delegation was asked to leave, their joint press conference was canceled and a lush lunch for the guests was never served.
The meeting on the Oval Office began on cordial conditions when Trump and Zensky were willing to sign a rare mineral deal. The two leaders shaking hands and Trump even jokes about the Zensky outfit – a military style shirt that is usually worn by the leaders of Ukraine. But the situation went wrong within a few minutes.
Zensky tried to weaken things, but it then exploded Vice President JD Vance de Ukraine leader of not being “grateful” for American support. When Zensky questioned the calls for diplomacy, Vance said he was disrespectful.
The two presidents, who knew how to play the cameras, then focused on a struggle for words – with the suggestion of the first that the US would “feel it in the future” if the Ukraine does not help Trump. The American president broke at Zensky: “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel”.
Trump’s voice stood up and the political showman warned Zensky. He gambled “gambled with the Second World War”. Shortly thereafter Zensky left the White House and there was no joint press conference. The formal lunch organized by the White House for visiting leaders was also canceled, but the episode was far from over.
The ugly exchange surprised world leaders. Canada and European allies gathered behind the Ukrainian president, while Russia praised Trump’s “restraint” against Zensky.