‘You Got a Glimpse at Oval Office’ – Trump Hints at Pressuring Ukraine for Ceasefire

US President Donald Trump hinted that his heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their Oval Office meeting was part of a strategy to pressure Ukraine into making certain decisions, saying: “We had to get Ukraine to do the right thing.”

Speaking to reporters at the Kennedy Center on Monday, March 17, Trump began by saying:

“Tomorrow, I’m speaking with President Putin of Russia to save some soldiers who are in deep trouble. They’re captured – essentially, they’re surrounded by Russian soldiers.”

He then claimed that his intervention had prevented immediate action by Russian forces:

“I believe if it wasn’t for me, they wouldn’t be here any longer. I was able to get them [Russians] not to do anything at this moment. But it’s a bad situation in Russia and it’s a bad situation in Ukraine.”

However, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov denied claims that a large number of Ukrainian troops had been encircled in Russia’s Kursk Oblast on Monday, March 17.

He emphasized that Ukraine’s Defense Forces continue defensive operations and maintain control over significant areas of enemy territory. While some units have been strategically repositioned to stronger defensive lines, he said that no Ukrainian troops are surrounded.

Umerov also recalled that similar false claims were made by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the BRICS summit in October 2024, which did not reflect reality then or now.

He reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to active defense, including offensive actions against enemy flanks to prevent further Russian advances. Additionally, he expressed gratitude to the United States for its security and diplomatic support.

Trump on weapons aid and Kursk

When asked about the suspension of US military and intelligence support for Ukraine, Trump dismissed concerns that it had affected Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.

“No, not at all. No, the opposite. I think it was appreciated. And we have to understand that if I see somebody doing something bad that’s going to cause a lot of death… The only reason I’m involved – this is Russia and Ukraine – but a lot of people, it’s humanity. I’m involved for humanity.”

Oval Office confrontation with Zelensky

Trump also referenced his Feb. 28 meeting with Zelensky, which lasted 45 minutes and ended in a heated dispute over US aid and the cancellation, or at least postponement, of a planned mineral agreement. The argument escalated after Zelensky’s response to remarks made by US Vice President JD Vance.

Following the meeting, Trump accused Zelensky of having shown disrespect toward the US and later wrote on Truth Social: “He can come back when he is ready for peace.”

At the Kennedy Center, Trump defended his actions during the Oval Office clash:

“A lot of people are being killed over there, and we had to get Ukraine to do the right thing. It was not an easy situation. You got to see a little glimpse at the Oval Office,” he said.

“But I think they’re doing the right thing right now, and we’re trying to get a peace agreement done. We want to get a ceasefire and then a peace agreement,” Trump added.

Trump: “This is Biden’s deal, not mine”

The US president also repeated his claim that US aid to Ukraine was a mistake made under Joe Biden.

“This isn’t Trump’s deal. This is Joe Biden’s deal. He gave $350 billion to Ukraine, and he shouldn’t have done it. It wasn’t secured,” Trump told the reporters.

He reiterated that Europe gave $100 billion, and “it was in the form of a loan.”

“They get their money back. And they should – they should actually have much more in it than us.”

French President Emmanuel Macron publicly corrected Trump on Ukraine aid during a Washington press conference in late February.

When Trump claimed, “Europe is loaning the money to Ukraine, they get the money back,” Macron interrupted: “No. To be frank, we paid 60% of the total effort.”

Grabbing Trump’s forearm, Macron explained that European support mirrors US aid: “Like the US – loans, guarantees, grants. We provided real money – to be clear.” Trump, caught off guard, gestured awkwardly with his free hand.

“But Joe Biden was grossly incompetent and it’s a shame what they did: $350 billion – we could have rebuilt our entire navy for that kind of money,” Trump told the briefing at the Kennedy Center.

Fact check

However, Trump’s figures contradict official data, which shows that Europe has provided aid equal to, or even surpassing, that of the US.

On Feb. 18, Trump claimed Washington had provided Ukraine with $350 billion in aid but admitted he was unsure of the exact figure, saying it could be “less than that.” According to a Kyiv Post’s fact-check, official US data shows that the total aid allocated to Ukraine between 2022 and 2024 amounts to around $183 billion, including:

• $174.2 billion appropriated through five Ukraine supplemental acts
• $18.2 billion from annual agency budgets
• $1.1 billion from other supplemental appropriation acts

Meanwhile, the EU reported in January that it had provided $145 billion in financial, military, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, with additional support still to come.

A Feb. 14 report from the Kiel Institute – a leading tracker of Ukraine aid – contradicts Trump’s claim that Europe is being repaid for its contributions. According to the report:

• Europe’s total aid has now surpassed US aid, with €132 billion ($138 billion) allocated compared to €114 billion ($119 billion) from the US.
• Military aid contributions are nearly equal, with the US providing €64 billion ($67 billion) and Europe €62 billion ($65 billion).

The Kiel Institute shows that, based on its GDP, the US is the 12th largest contributor to Ukraine. 

Meanwhile, a group of economists examining the actual materiel provided to Ukraine by the US found that even the US’s official $67 billion is an overestimate due to the actual value of weapons and equipment being worth less than their stated value, a significant portion of promised weapons transfers having not yet occurred, and a substantial portion of US aid being in the form of loans versus grants.

“Our estimate places it at $18.3 billion,” research from the Economists for Ukraine think tank found.