Brussels - Washington: Europe and the Arabs - Agencies
The historic quarrel between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian Zelensky in the White House over peace with Russia caused sharp international reactions and revealed a division in the American political scene. While European leaders affirmed their support for Ukraine, Trump faced harsh criticism for his conciliatory approach with Moscow. According to a report by the European news network in Brussels "Euronews" under the title "Historic quarrel between Trump and Zelensky shakes the international arena", the White House witnessed an unprecedented confrontation between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, which political circles described as "historic". During the meeting, Trump attacked Zelensky in a sharp tone, accusing him of disrespecting the United States and demanding that he reach a peace agreement with Russia. The US president went so far as to threaten Zelensky with withdrawing Washington's support if he rejected peace, which prompted the Ukrainian president to leave the White House in a hurry without signing the minerals agreement and without holding a press conference. Shock in international circles
This confrontation sparked widespread reactions on the international scene, and Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, considered what happened to be "historic" and reflects a major shift in international balances. For his part, Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian President, commented that "Trump told Zelensky the truth for the first time," reflecting Russian relief from Trump's position.
US Vice President Mike Vance published a statement issued by President Donald J. Trump, in which he said: "Today we had a very meaningful meeting at the White House. Many things were reached that could not have been understood without a conversation under such great pressure. It is amazing what is shown through the emotions, and I have come to the conclusion that President Zelensky is not ready for peace if America is involved, because he feels that our intervention gives him a great advantage in the negotiations. I do not want an advantage, I want peace. He showed disrespect for the United States of America in its venerable Oval Office. He can return when he is ready for peace."

Decisive global reactions
The clash had a strong global echo, as world leaders expressed their positions, and most European leaders clearly expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian president:
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, expressed her steadfast support for Zelensky, praising the courage of the Ukrainian people and affirming the European Union's commitment to a just and lasting peace.
French President Emmanuel Macron, the French President, reiterated his firm position that Russia is the aggressor, stressing that support for Ukraine will continue until a just peace is achieved.
Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, stressed that "no one wants peace more than the Ukrainians," stressing Germany and Europe's commitment to supporting Ukraine.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish Prime Minister, stressed that his country stands with Ukraine, while Donald Tusk, the Polish Prime Minister, stressed that Ukraine "is not alone" in this conflict.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban: He was the only official who tweeted outside the European flock. He praised Trump's position and tweeted: "Strong men make peace and weak men make war." In a clear wink to the "weak" Ukrainian president, in his opinion.
A division in the American political scene
Trump's statements sparked a storm of criticism in the United States:
Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader in the Senate, accused Trump and his deputy Mike Vance of working for Putin, describing their position as "shameful."
Bernie Sanders strongly criticized Trump, noting that his rebuke of Zelensky "represents a slap in the face to a democratic country fighting Russian imperialism."
Mark Kelly, the Republican senator, described what happened as "chaos" that weakened the image of the United States on the international stage.
Lindsey Graham, the Republican senator, considered that "Trump was enthusiastic about signing the minerals agreement, but Zelensky spoiled the atmosphere," calling on the Ukrainian president to "reconsider his position or leave office."
Harsh criticism from the international arena
Josep Borrell, the former European Union foreign policy representative, described Trump's position as "shameful", stressing that "the free world must stand with Ukraine".
John Bolton, the former US National Security Advisor, considered Trump's position to be a "catastrophic mistake" that harms US national security, stressing that this position does not reflect the views of the majority of Americans.
Strategic implications for international relations This confrontation cast a shadow over international relations, as Zelensky expressed his insistence on the need to obtain security guarantees before any ceasefire, while Trump insisted on achieving peace on his terms. This disagreement reflects a major shift in US foreign policy towards the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, which portends an escalation of geopolitical tensions in the coming period.