A Brief History of Trump’s Tumultuous Relationship With Zelensky

Here are some of the two leaders’ most turbulent moments to date.

Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump talking to each other. August 18, 2025, 12:11 PM Comment icon View Comments ( )

Trump’s Second Term

Ongoing reports and analysis

When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives in Washington on Aug. 18 for pivotal talks over the future of Russia’s war in Ukraine, he will be backed by several of his European allies .

That may be because when Zelensky was last in town for talks in February, a highly watched diplomatic meeting—which was supposed to draw Kyiv and Washington closer together—rapidly devolved into an explosive shouting match with U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.

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