What was supposed to be a prelude to the two leaders signing a minerals deal turned out to be an ambush and shattered the fragile relationship between the two leaders. U.S. President Donald Trump shouted at Volodymyr Zelenskyy and berated him for being "disrespectful" in an extraodinary Oval Office summit.  He warned Zelenskyy that he was "gambling with World War III" and told him to come back "when he was ready for peace".

Zelenskyy then abruptly left the White House early, cancelling the press conference scheduled for announcing the minerals deal.

Untouched salad plates and other lunch items were being packed up outside the Cabinet room where the lunch between Trump and Zelenskyy and their delegations was supposed to have taken place.

The last 10 minutes of the nearly 45-minute engagement devolved into a tense back and forth between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Zelenskyy, who had urged skepticism about Russia's commitment to diplomacy, citing Moscow's years of broken commitments on the global stage.

It began with Vance telling Zelenskyy, “Mr. President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.”

Zelenskyy tried to object, saying that Vance, a skeptic of US support for Ukraine, should come to the country to see the destruction from the invasion and that Russia was responsible for the continued fighting.  He called Russian President Vladimir Putin a terrorist and told Trump that Ukraine and the world need “no compromises with a killer,” prompting Trump to raise his voice and say, “You're gambling with the lives of millions of people.”

“You're gambling with World War III, and what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that's backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have,” Trump said.

It was an astonishing display of open antagonism in the Oval Office, a setting better known for sombre diplomacy. Trump laid bare his efforts to coerce Zelenskyy to agree to giving the US an interest in his country's valuable minerals and to push him toward a diplomatic resolution to the war on the American leader's terms.

Trump later issued a statement in which he said, "We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. 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. 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."

Earlier, the US President received the Ukrainian President on Friday to discuss a controversial mineral resources deal that Trump has said is the first step towards a ceasefire agreement that he is seeking to broker between Russia and Ukraine. 

But the meeting on Friday completely degenerated and was cut short after the open display of antagonism in the Oval Office.

During the public part of the meeting, Trump and Vance took turns to berate Zelenskyy, with Vance accusing him of carrying out “publicity tours” and Trump telling him: “You’re not really in a good position right now.”

At one point Vance demanded: “Have you said ‘thank you’ once?” Picking up the theme, Trump told Zelenskyy: “Do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?”

Then delivering an ultimatum to Zelenskyy, Trump said that Ukraine must either “make a deal or we are out”,  suggesting the US could walk away from negotiations and cut off support to Kyiv.

“Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem,” Trump went on. “You’re in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel. We’re going to feel very good … You don’t have the cards right now with us, you’ll start having problems right now.

Earlier in the meeting Trump said the U. .would continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine, but said he hoped that not too much aid would be forthcoming. “We're not looking forward to sending a lot of arms,” Trump said. “We're looking forward to getting the war finished so we can do other things.”

Trump also told Zelenskyy that "Putin went through a hell of a lot with me" over the impeachment scandal during his first term in office. "He wants to make a deal, but I don't know if you can make a deal," he said.

At one point in the exchange, the Ukrainian ambassador to Washington appeared to be holding her head in her hands.

“The problem is, I’ve empowered you to be a tough guy, and I don’t think he’d be a tough guy without the United States and your people are very brave,” Trump said. “But 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.”

When Vance interjected to Zelenskyy saying, “Again, just say thank you,” and blasting him for litigating “disagreements” in front of the press. Trump, though, suggested he was fine with the drama. “I think it's good for the American people to see what's going on,” he added.

Then, Trump ended the meeting by saying that Zelenskyy was not “acting thankful” and “that’s not a nice thing”. (with inputs from AP/PTI)