A few hours ago, the world witnessed a rare sausage being made when Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sat in the Oval Office with US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and the world’s media.

Zelenskky had come to Washington to plead Ukraine’s case to a newly re-elected Trump. Trump hoped that Zelenskyy would sign a treaty handing over Ukraine’s mineral rights to the US in exchange for an end to Ukraine’s war with Russia. This peace treaty with unspecified concessions from Russian President Vladimir Putin, would be brokered by the US.

The saying goes that watching sausage-making is best avoided, for once you know their stuffing, you’ll not want to eat them. Many in the world’s media agreed today. Some have called the meeting a “shocking display by Trump and Vance”, others blame “Zelenskyy” for a bad attitude. I tell, you, they’re wrong.

Today the world witnessed a diplomatic dance. It’s 2025 and in a 21st century of endless war, devastation and evil our planet is about to change.

The meeting

First up, indeed, diplomacy of this magnitude rarely occurs in the public sphere. The world witnessed something unique today and politicians across the globe, their intelligence analysts and negotiators were taking notes.

Here was Trump’s “The Art of the Deal” live-streamed. Further, never before had the month-old Trump-Vance team been seen in top tier motion.

The fireworks started 40 minutes into their 50-minute sit-down.

These sessions usually let the media question the president and his guest in broad strokes. So, the show began with a welcome from Trump. Then things slowly took a turn.

Trump accused Zelenskyy of a “hatred” towards Putin, preventing the peace that Trump demanded.

Vance, straight after, hopped in acknowledging that Russia had “invaded Ukraine and destroyed a significant chunk of the country” and that’s why the time had come “to maybe engage in diplomacy”, as a path to “peace and prosperity”.

Zelenskyy asked permission to reply to Vance, and it was given. Zelenskyy was calm yet spoke with a heavily accented English.

He reminded both that from 2014-2022 Russia had “occupied” parts of Ukraine including Crimea and “killed lots of people”. Zelenskyy said that in 2019 he had “signed a ceasefire” with Putin in an act of “diplomacy” but Putin broke it and “refused” to swap agreed prisoners.

So, Zelenskyy said, “What kind of diplomacy JD are you asking about?”

The fuse had run out.

Vance said, “I’m talking the kind of diplomacy that is going to end the destruction of your country,” but then his mind snapped breaking his train of thought.

Vance said, “Mr. President (referring to Zelenskyy), with respect I think it is disrespectful to come into the Oval Office trying to litigate this (pointing to the packed room) in front of the American media.”

Boom.

Vance then accused Ukraine of manpower problems with conscripts being recruited to the front lines. Zelenskyy asked whether Vance had ever been to Ukraine to witness it? Vance replied that he had only “watched the stories” on TV.

Vance then asked Zelenskyy to deny these stories. Zelenskyy said that America is blessed to “feel” the security of having an ocean between the US and Europe and the safety that brings.

Trump erupted.

“Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel, we’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. You’re in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel,” Trump said.

It was madness. A simple language barrier had set off Trump and there was no going back it seemed.

Trump told Zelenskyy that without the US, Ukraine had “no cards to play”. Zelenskyy tried to bring some comprehension to Trump’s mind but Trump said, “You’re gambling with World War Three and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to this country.”

Admonishing Zelenskyy, Vance again jumped in and said, “You had gone to Pennsylvania and campaigned for [Biden].” It was a shouting match. Trump threw in some trademark mockery.

Vance then repeated that it was best not to “litigate” this diplomacy in front of the media—but Trump said, “No, I think it is good.”

And then something strange happened. The temperature lowered. Trump said that it was hard “doing business” this way.

There was the clue!

Trump told Zelenskyy, the United States had “empowered” him to be a “tough guy” and “your people are very brave”, which Zelenskyy thanked him for.

So, Trump went on, his voice was softer, “You’re either going to make a deal or we’re out. And if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty.”

Trump said, “But once we sign that deal, you’re in a much better position. But I don’t think you’re acting at all thankful. That’s not a nice thing.”

The meeting ended. White House staffers asked Zelenskyy to leave the building foregoing a later joint press conference with Trump.

This was nothing but business folks, and they all knew it: though Vance was the least prepared of the three. Zelenskyy later said that he would have preferred a more private session.

The reality

Let’s brainstorm the geopolitics looking at Trump’s claim, that Ukraine had “no cards to play”:

Ukraine is currently winning its war with Russia. The war is being fought along a single front on Ukraine’s eastern frontier.

Ukraine holds a salient near Kursk. That’s inside Russia. And Putin with the unprecedented aid of North Korean infantry has failed to retake it.

Russia continues to hold the Don Basin. That’s Ukraine’s massive industrial and coal base and Zelenskyy has not managed to significantly dislodge Russian forces despite almost continuous bloody combat.

Ukraine is on the verge of liberating Crimea having already defeated Russia’s Black Sea naval presence. Russia cannot defend the Crimean coast.

If Russia attacks through Belarus in the north opening a second front with a direct axis on Kiev, Ukraine loses the war.

But Russia cannot attack through Belarus until it props up the government of dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko.

If Lukashenko is overthrown in a popular uprising, Ukraine wins the war.

Trump’s and Vance’s too obvious good cop-bad cop routine makes for fine TV on Putin’s propaganda channel RT (Russia Today).

Trump and Vance are using Ukraine as a pawn to divide the EU.

The EU is currently at its weakest point, having destroyed Europe through an onslaught of illegal Islamist immigration. Germany’s right wing seeks an exit, and currently forms the second largest party in the Bundestag.

I’m on record somewhere saying that the resurgence of a Russian Baltic superpower, albeit without an East Germany, is not a bad thing. Insomuch as it would counter China.

The Ukrainian people have suffered immensely since 2014 at the hands of Russia.

But if Putin’s war has only been about repealing Magnitsky Acts (global legislation sanctioning Putin’s wealth and that of his cronies), possibly the time has come to let bygones be and repeal them as deplorable as that would be—if war ends and Crimea returns to Ukraine.

As for the US interest in Ukrainian exotic mineral rights, I confess no expertise in the area. Quite frankly, it reeks of a diversion.

Then again, China has been pillaging African minerals for far too long. Zelenskyy may want to negotiate an export deal regardless, letting Ukraine run the mining.

In summary though, unless Belarus becomes an invasion springboard into Ukraine this year, there is no diplomatic gun at Zelenskyy’s head.

His deck of cards may be thumbed now but it still shuffles well and holds a Royal Flush.

© 2025 Adam Parker.
Picture credit: @ 2025 Sky News Australia. Video still. Fair use claimed.

A note on the spelling of the Ukrainian president’s name: Some media choose to spell Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s name with two y’s in the Ukrainian fashion or one as anglicised. Early in my writing about Ukraine I chose the single “y” but admit that I’ve also sometimes misspelled his first name as “Vlodomir”. For the purpose of this article and going forward I’ve chosen the Ukrainian norm. For if we’re referring to Russian “Kiev” as Ukrainian “Kyiv” at present, it makes sense for consistency.