Peter Baker

Instead of Joe Biden sending arms and standing with Ukraine saying, we will never, never, never not be with you, you have Donald Trump coming in and calling Zelensky a dictator, saying it was Ukraine, falsely, that started the war.

Instead of Joe Biden sending arms and standing with Ukraine saying, we will never, never, never not be with you, you have Donald Trump coming in and calling Zelensky a dictator, saying it was Ukraine, falsely, that started the war.

Adopting Russian talking points about whether Zelensky should have to have elections, never mind that Vladimir Putin is the dictator, that he started the war, and that he has fake elections at home.

Adopting Russian talking points about whether Zelensky should have to have elections, never mind that Vladimir Putin is the dictator, that he started the war, and that he has fake elections at home.

He was basically 180 degrees changing American policy towards Russia and Ukraine, making clear that in this new Cold War that we've been talking about now for so long, America was essentially switching sides.

He was basically 180 degrees changing American policy towards Russia and Ukraine, making clear that in this new Cold War that we've been talking about now for so long, America was essentially switching sides.

And for Zelensky, this is existential for him. And he faced this pressure from Trump to sign a rare minerals deal, handing over a lot of Ukraine's natural resources to the United States without any assurance that the United States is going to give them anything back. Trump said, you owe us basically for all the aid that Biden gave you over the last three years. Right.

And for Zelensky, this is existential for him. And he faced this pressure from Trump to sign a rare minerals deal, handing over a lot of Ukraine's natural resources to the United States without any assurance that the United States is going to give them anything back. Trump said, you owe us basically for all the aid that Biden gave you over the last three years. Right.

So Zelensky unhappily, grudgingly comes to Washington as almost a supplicant to sign this agreement, hoping that that will keep Trump on Ukraine's side in any future peace talks.

So Zelensky unhappily, grudgingly comes to Washington as almost a supplicant to sign this agreement, hoping that that will keep Trump on Ukraine's side in any future peace talks.

Yes, that's right. Because he hopes that it will keep the United States on Ukraine's side, give it something at stake in the war, in this case, economic stakes. And he knows how much that matters to Trump. So Zelensky shows up at the White House on Friday morning, and Trump comes out at the door to greet him as he does with foreign leaders.

Yes, that's right. Because he hopes that it will keep the United States on Ukraine's side, give it something at stake in the war, in this case, economic stakes. And he knows how much that matters to Trump. So Zelensky shows up at the White House on Friday morning, and Trump comes out at the door to greet him as he does with foreign leaders.

And they have a polite handshake, but not a lot of warmth, I would say. And Trump makes a comment as Zelensky arrives that later I think becomes kind of telling. He says, I see you came dressed up for the occasion.

And they have a polite handshake, but not a lot of warmth, I would say. And Trump makes a comment as Zelensky arrives that later I think becomes kind of telling. He says, I see you came dressed up for the occasion.

Zelensky, of course, is wearing his tactical dark sweater, one of the versions of the combat type clothing he's been wearing for the last three years in solidarity with Ukrainian soldiers. Right. And... They go into the Oval Office. They take their seats. There's a number of top officials there. J.D. Vance is there. Secretary Rubio is there. And the meeting gets off to a relatively fine start.

Zelensky, of course, is wearing his tactical dark sweater, one of the versions of the combat type clothing he's been wearing for the last three years in solidarity with Ukrainian soldiers. Right. And... They go into the Oval Office. They take their seats. There's a number of top officials there. J.D. Vance is there. Secretary Rubio is there. And the meeting gets off to a relatively fine start.

But Zelensky's trying to make sure Trump understands that Ukraine is the victim, not the villain in this war.

But Zelensky's trying to make sure Trump understands that Ukraine is the victim, not the villain in this war.

And he shows him pictures. of Ukrainian men and women who have been released from Russian prisons and how amazing they are, how terribly abused they had been in Russian captivity, tries to get Trump to see that the Russians are the bad guys here.

And he shows him pictures. of Ukrainian men and women who have been released from Russian prisons and how amazing they are, how terribly abused they had been in Russian captivity, tries to get Trump to see that the Russians are the bad guys here.