Volodymyr Zelensky Breaks Silence on Disastrous Donald Trump Face-Off — And Reveals Why Russian Torture Images Sparked Car-Crash TV Clash
Volodymyr Zelensky has finally broken his silence over his White House bust-up with Donald Trump which played out in front of world's media.
March 25 2025, Published 9:07 a.m. ET
Volodymyr Zelensky has opened up for the first time about his explosive White House bust-up with Donald Trump, nearly four weeks since the row.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the Ukrainian president, 47, admits he made one major mistake during the ordeal, which was played out in front of the world's media.
Zelensky has admitted showing Trump gruesome images of tortured Ukrainian soldiers backfired.
In a new tell-all interview, Zelensky said he went into his first official sit down chat with President Trump and J.D. Vance thinking he had it all planned out.
He had already been to the White House on several occasions during his six-year spell in Ukraine's top job but February's meeting was undoubtedly the most important of his political career to date.
Zelensky hoped to get in Trump's good books by bringing him a special gift.
It followed weeks of speculation around if Trump even respected his counterpart after he made a cruel "dictator" jibe last month.
Trump cruelly branded Zelensky a 'dictator' in the build up to the meeting at the White House in February.
Looking to secure a lasting first impression, Zelensky played on Trump's admiration for combat sports by handing him a customised boxing heavyweight championship belt, given to him by Ukrainian fighter Oleksandr Usyk.
The Ukrainian spirit has been massively helped across their three-year bloodbath of a conflict against Russia due to Zelensky as well as Usyk.
As he sat down in the Oval Office, Zelensky put the belt next to him on a table.
He said he planned to hand it over to Trump in front of the crowds of journalist to mark a symbol of friendship between Ukraine and the U.S.
But before the belt exchanged hands, Zelensky decided to make a bolder move – one he ultimately believes was his downfall.
Trump claimed during the face-off a ceasefire deal with Russia would be different this time because Putin 'respects' him.
He pulled out a folder containing a series of gruesome images depicting life as a captured Ukrainian prisoner of war.
Several pictures showcased the brutality of Vladimir Putin's regime with many men's bodies left fragile and emaciated upon their release.
Many also showed clear signs of torture.
Despite Zelensky trying to highlight Putin's evil on full display through the disturbed imagery, according to some U.S. officials it only got Trump's back up.
Trump announced once seeing the folder "that's tough stuff" as he quickly flicked through it.
Some believed Trump took it as though he was being blamed for the soldiers' suffering themselves.
Zelensky offered Trump a personalized boxing belt from Ukrainian fighter Oleksandr Usyk as a gift.
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Zelensky said he doesn't regret his decision to show the pictures as he wanted Trump to see the effects of war up close.
He added he wanted to appeal to Trump as a human being.
"He has family, loved ones, children. He has to feel the things that every person feels," Zelensky said. "What I wanted to show were my values. But then, well, the conversation went in another direction."
Zelensky and his cabinet have now managed to convince Trump to give them his full support with a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal already on the table.
Trump is reportedly pushing for a full ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine by Easter – but Putin doesn't appear to be in a hurry to sign any truce deal.
