VOLODYMYR Zelensky has finally opened up on his infamous White House bust-up with Donald Trump – including his one major mistake.
The brave president has spent the last 25 days trying to recover from the disastrous visit to Washington which left the future of US-Ukraine relations on the brink.
AFPUS President Donald Trump clashed with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in front of the world’s press[/caption]
SplashThe golden belt placed next to Zelensky[/caption]
ReutersTrump argued with Zelensky in the Oval Office and accused him of risking World War Three[/caption]
Ukraine‘s leader has been reluctant to address the blistering row between himself, Trump and JD Vance at the end of February.
The filmed altercation saw a raging Republican give the hero leader a humiliating Oval Office dressing down before telling him to come back when he wanted peace.
In the weeks since, Zelensky has apologised for his role in the viral spat and tried to mend the treacherous bridge through his team.
Zelensky and his cabinet have now managed to convince Trump to give them his full support with a US-backed ceasefire proposal already on the table.
But for the first real time the Ukrainian president has decided to address the White House argument in a tell-all interview.
Speaking to Time Magazine, Zelensky said he went into his first official sit down chat with President Trump thinking he had it all planned out.
He had already been to the White House on several occasions during his six-year spell in Ukraine‘s top job.
This meeting was undoubtedly the most important of his political career to date however.
Zelensky hoped to get in Trump’s good books by bringing him a special gift.
It followed weeks of speculation around if Trump even respected his counterpart after he made a cruel “dictator” jibe last month.
Looking to secure a lasting first impression, Zelensky played on Trump’s admiration for combat sports by handing him a customised boxing heavyweight championship belt.
The Ukrainian spirit has been massively helped across their three-year bloodbath of a conflict against Russia due to Zelensky as well as Oleksandr Usyk.
Usyk managed to become undisputed champion at both crusierweight and heavyweight in recent year.
Dethroning Brit Tyson Fury once before defeating him again in impressive fashion again last year.
This made him not only one of the best boxers on the planet but also a symbol of Ukraine‘s toughness and never-say-die attitude in battle.
Zelensky decided a belt belonging to his friend Usyk, who himself has trained on the frontlines, would be the ideal gift for Trump.
As he sat down in the Oval Office, Zelensky put the belt next to him on a table.
He said he planned to hand it over to Trump in front of the crowds of journalist to mark a symbol of friendship between Ukraine and the US.
The Mega AgencyInstead of handing over the belt Zelensky pulled out a folder containing a series of gruesome images depicting life as a captured Ukrainian prisoner of war[/caption]
The golden Usyk belt was next to Zelensky during the White House argumentAlamy
SplashZelensky quickly left Washington after the argument[/caption]
But before the belt exchanged hands, Zelensky decided to make a bolder move – one he ultimately believes was his downfall.
He pulled out a folder containing a series of gruesome images depicting life as a captured Ukrainian prisoner of war.
Several pictures showcased the brutality of Vladimir Putin‘s regime with many men’s bodies left fragile and emaciated upon their release.
Many also showed clear signs of torture.
Despite Zelensky trying to highlight Putin’s evil on full display through the disturbed imagery, according to some US officials it only got Trump’s back up.
Trump announced once seeing the folder, “that’s tough stuff” as he quickly flicked through him.
Some believed Trump took it as though he was being blamed for the soldiers’ suffering themselves.
In his Times interview, Zelensky said he doesn’t regret his decision to show the pictures as he wanted Trump to see the effects of war up close.
He said he wanted to appeal to Trump as a human being.
“He has family, loved ones, children. He has to feel the things that every person feels,” Zelensky said.
“What I wanted to show were my values. But then, well, the conversation went in another direction.”
It comes as Trump is reportedly pushing for a full ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine by Easter – but Putin doesn’t appear to be in a hurry to sign any truce deal.
The US President wants fighting to stop soon and the two sides to sign a deal by April 20, reports Bloomberg.
But several of Trump’s other peace deadlines have already been missed, raising questions about how seriously Putin wants peace.
PAOleksandr Usyk after his historic victory over Tyson Fury[/caption]
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