How the Trump-Zelensky talks collapsed in ten fiery minutes

Ukraines president had been hoping to leave the White House on Friday after positive talks with Donald Trump, capped with the signing of a minerals deal giving the US a real stake in his countrys future, if not an outright security guarantee.

Instead Volodymyr Zelensky faced an extraordinary dressing down in front of the worlds media, after President Trump and his Vice-President JD Vance demanded that he show more gratitude for years of US support.

The Ukrainian president pushed back at suggestions from his more powerful partners that he should work harder to agree a ceasefire with Vladimir Putin. They responded that he was being "disrespectful".

Zelensky was eventually told to leave the White House early before he and Trump could even take the stage for a scheduled news conference.

And the minerals deal, which had been trailed and praised by both sides this week, was left unsigned. "Come back when youre ready for peace," Trump wrote on social media shortly before Zelenskys car pulled away.

There were several major flashpoints in the meeting. Here are four of the most fiery - and the politics and feeling that lies behind them.

While there was half an hour of cordial talks and formalities at the start, tensions began to boil over in the Oval Office when Vance said the "path to peace and the path to prosperity is maybe engaging in diplomacy".

"Thats what President Trump is doing," he said.

Zelensky interjected, referencing Russias aggression in the years before its full-scale invasion three years ago including a failed ceasefire in 2019. "Nobody stopped him," he said of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"What kind of diplomacy, JD, are you talking about? What do you mean?" he said.

The exchange then became visibly tense, with Vance replying: "the kind that will end the destruction of your country."

The vice-president then accused Zelensky of being disrespectful and "litigating" the situation in front of the American media.

It was Vances defence of Trumps approach to ending the war - by opening communications with Putin and pushing for a quick ceasefire - that first escalated tensions with the Ukrainian leader.

After Vance challenged the Ukrainian president over problems hes had with the military and conscription, Zelensky replied: "During the war, everybody has problems, even you. But you have a nice ocean and dont feel [it] now, but you will feel it in the future."

That comment rankled Trump and drew him into the clash that up until this point had been limited to Zelensky and the vice-president.

Here was the Ukrainian leader suggesting Trump had failed to grasp the moral hazard of dealing with the wars aggressor.

Zelenskys message cut to the heart of what critics say is Trumps fundamental miscalculation in dealing with Russia. That by ending Moscows isolation and seeking a quick ceasefire he risks emboldening Putin, weakening Europe and leaving Ukraine open to being devoured.

Trump tends to characterise the war as a kind of binary conflict between two sides who should both take their share of burden or blame for the fighting and its causes.

But Zelensky was trying to warn of catastrophic consequences of this thinking. This was the Ukrainian leader directly telling Trump in the Oval Office: Appease Russia, and the war will come to you.

It triggered Trumps biggest backlash. "Dont tell us what were going to feel. Youre in no position to dictate that," he said, his voice getting louder.

"You dont have the cards right now," he told him. "Youre gambling with millions of lives."

This exchange may win Zelensky plaudits among those who wanted to see him to stand up to Trump; but this moment could also decide an era of war and peace in Europe.

At one point later in the conversation, Zelensky said: "From the very beginning of the war, we have been alone and we are thankful."

This angered Trump, who has repeatedly framed the war as a drain on American taxpayers.

"You havent been alone," he said. "You havent been alone. We gave you - through this stupid president - $350bn," Trump said, a reference to Biden.

Vance then asked whether Zelensky had thanked the US during the meeting and accused him of campaigning "for the opposition" - the Democrats - during the US election last year.

The comment was a reference to a visit Zelensky made to a munitions factory in Scranton, Pennsylvania - Joe Bidens hometown - just weeks before Americans headed to the polls in the November election.

Republicans were outraged at the visit, accusing Zelensky of turning the tour into a partisan campaign event on Kamala Harriss behalf in a battleground state.

Here was all the bitter division of Americas own polarised internal politics pouring into the room at a critical moment for future of global security.

"Please, you think that if you will speak very loudly about the war," Zelensky began saying, only for Trump to cut him off.

"Hes not speaking loudly," Trump shot back, visibly irritated. "Your countrys in big trouble."

"Youre not winning, youre not winning this," Trump said. "You have a damn good chance of coming out OK because of us."

"Its going to be a very hard thing to do business like this," said Trump. "Its going to be a tough deal to make because the attitudes have to change."

The president and vice-president reprimanded Zelensky, appearing most angered by what they perceived as his "attitude".

"Just say thank you," Vance demanded at one point.

Zelenskys responses - which were to fact check the two far more powerful men and argue his corner - seemed driven by the existential nature of this moment.

He has spent three years defending his country from invasion, while also trying to hold together a society and its political leadership that Putin has tried to drive apart.

But out of the main camera shot was another sight in the room. Zelenskys ambassador to Washington, Oksana Markarova, who was spotted with her head in her hands as the arguments escalated.

It is an image that sums up the diplomatic position for Zelensky and his relationship with - until now at least - his superpower sponsor in trying to repel Russia.

Standing up to Trump like he did on Friday could, ultimately, mean losing to Putin.