Full analysis of the White House dispute between the United States and Ukraine - 华人网

Diplomatic rifts under strategic game: On February 28, 2025, a 139 minute meeting in the Oval Office of the White House pushed US Ukraine relations to an unprecedented level of tension. This diplomatic activity, which should have taken the signing of the mineral agreement as the core, eventually evolved into an open confrontation full of gunpowder, which not only exposed the deep differences between the two countries in strategic interests, but also triggered the complex speculation of the international community on the prospects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 1、 The friction outside the agenda foreshadows Zelensky's basic visit to the United States, which shoulders a dual mission: first, to promote the implementation of the US Ukraine mineral agreement, and second, to strive for the US's commitment to security guarantees for Ukraine. However, since its arrival in Washington, a subtle tension has permeated. White House staff had explicitly requested him to attend in formal attire, but Zelensky continued his wartime signature attire - a black tactical sweater with the Ukrainian trident emblem and military style trousers. This choice sparked a slightly sarcastic comment from Trump at the beginning of the meeting: 'You dress very well,' laying a symbolic foreshadowing for the subsequent conflict. Even more dramatic was the widespread controversy surrounding the identity of the questioner when the on-site reporter questioned Zelensky about the issue of attire. Brian Glenn, from the right-wing media outlet "Voice of America," is married to Marjorie Taylor Green, a staunch ally of Trump and a far right legislator. This arrangement has been interpreted by the outside world as a deliberate public opinion trap set by the White House, aimed at weakening Zelensky's diplomatic image through dress controversies. Although Zelensky responded with 'I will wear a suit after the war ends', the dress code controversy has quietly changed the tone of the talks.

139 minutes of emotional outburst: As the talks entered the substantive stage, disagreements over security quickly escalated. Trump reiterated that the United States will not provide military support to Ukraine, emphasizing that 'Ukraine is not an equal negotiating partner'. Zelensky used the metaphor of "beautiful ocean" to symbolize geopolitical threats, implying that the United States' current wait-and-see attitude will eventually pay a price. This statement directly angered Trump, who accused Zelensky of "gambling on World War III" and mocked his negotiating position: "You don't have a card now, you only have a card with us." Vice President Vance's intervention further exacerbated the conflict. When Zelensky attempted to correct Trump's misjudgment of the timeline for the Crimean conflict, Vance harshly criticized him for being "disrespectful to the president". As the argument escalated, the image of Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, Malkarova, sitting with her face covered in front of the camera became a landmark moment in this diplomatic crisis. In the end, Trump concluded the meeting with the statement 'This will be a great TV show' and left with a flick of his sleeve.

Agreement suspension and chain reaction: The originally planned mineral agreement signing and joint press conference have been cancelled. According to senior White House officials, the US has suspended military aid to Ukraine until Zelensky publicly apologizes. This requirement was seen as a "humiliating condition" by the Ukrainian side, and after the talks, Zelensky's team was in a low mood, with some members even unable to conceal their frustration. And European allies are caught in a dilemma: on the one hand, they need to maintain support for Ukraine, while on the other hand, they have to face pressure from the Trump administration's push for a peace agreement. It is worth noting that the domestic political spectrum in the United States has different reactions to this event. Republican hardliners criticized Trump for being too soft on Zelensky, while the Trump team insisted that a peace agreement requires compromise between both sides. Some analysts point out that this conflict is essentially a concentrated outbreak of strategic positioning differences between the United States and Ukraine: the United States attempts to maintain its influence over Ukraine through economic binding, while Ukraine hopes to link economic cooperation with security commitments. This misalignment has led to an imbalance in negotiations.

Multiple possibilities for future direction: Currently, both the United States and Ukraine are sending signals of easing tensions. Zelensky expressed willingness to continue the dialogue but requested a non-public form, while Trump called the agreement "not a failure". However, the fundamental contradiction has not been resolved: the gap between Ukraine's thirst for security and the US policy of "limited intervention" still exists. Scholars have pointed out that this incident may become a turning point in the Russia Ukraine situation - if the United States further reduces its support, Ukraine may be forced to adjust its strategy towards Russia; On the contrary, if Europe fills the vacuum left by the United States, a new rift may emerge in transatlantic relations. This White House dispute is not only a diplomatic etiquette disorder, but also a microcosm of geopolitical games. When Zelensky's "ocean metaphor" encounters Trump's "realpolitik," US Ukraine relations are standing at a crossroads in history. The future development may redefine the role of allies and strategic boundaries in the great power game.