BUST-UP LEAVES TRUMP'S PEACE TALKS IN CRISIS

Furious US president accuses Volodymyr Zelensky of 'gambling with WW3'

- By Jonathan Walker

HOPES of a Ukraine peace deal were in tatters last night as Donald Trump publicly accused President Zelensky of "gambling with World War 3".

After the Oval Office bust-up, President Trump scrapped talks between the pair, ordering Mr Zelensky and his aides to leave the White House. The US president raged: "He can come back when he is ready for peace." A press conference with the two leaders was cancelled too.

But Mr Zelensky later posted on X: "Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that." The leaders' earlier meeting in front of the world's media had descended into a public slanging match with Mr Trump bellowing at his opposite number: "You are gambling with the lives of millions of people. You are gambling with World War 3."

Mr Zelensky was in the US to sign a deal giving Washington access to his country's rare minerals a move aimed at deterring further aggression by Russia if the current war triggered by its invasion can be ended.

After the unprecedented confrontation he left earlier than planned, without agreement.

Mr Trump had responded angrily when Mr Zelensky insisted Ukraine must be given guarantees that dictator Vladimir Putin would not break any peace deal, as Russia did following agreements made in 2014.

The US leader told Mr Zelensky: "What you are doing is disrespectful to the country - this country that's backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have", and US vice president JD Vance broke in: "Have you said 'thank you' once?"

During the fiery exchange, Mr Trump warned Mr Zelensky: "Your country is in big trouble", adding: "You're not winning this.