US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, February 28, 2025. [Photo/Agencies]

The much-anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy ended with the latter leaving the Oval Office without the much-talked-about mineral deal.

While European leaders, including those of Germany, France, Italy and the UK, rushed to back Zelenskyy, some American lawmakers harshly criticized Ukraine for "disrespecting" the United States. The shouting match between the two presidents, which, according to South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, made the meeting a "complete, utter disaster," could end Washington's support for Kyiv.

Zelenskyy's US visit, which turned out to be a farce, has not only shown the crisis of trust between Washington and its Western allies, but also laid bare the selfish calculations – packaged as "protection for peace" – of the Trump administration.

True that pledging to end the crisis in 24 hours, Trump has taken "concrete" actions – holding "good talks" with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, extensive high-level engagements with Moscow in Saudi Arabia, and Friday's meeting with Zelenskyy.

But are these endeavors really for peace?

On the Ukraine front, Trump, in disregard of Zelenskyy's repeated urging for security guarantees, has been pushing for access to Ukraine's mineral resources. The reason is simple: The US wants its money back after years of military aid to the country – not regional peace.

"Trump is straightforward about his purpose – "We want to get that money back – adding, "We are helping the country through a very, very big problem… but the American taxpayer now is going to get their money back plus."

To this end, the Trump administration has begun an intense pressure campaign against Zelenskyy. Days after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called Ukraine's NATO membership "unrealistic" and suggested Kyiv give up the hope of winning "territories" from Russia, Washington talked with Moscow in Saudi Arabia without Ukraine, sparking concerns that Ukraine's future could be decided behind its back.

Within a month, Trump has called Zelenskyy a "dictator," accusing Kyiv of starting the conflict. Then he prodded Zelenskyy to sign the mineral deal, threatening "he'd better move fast or he is not going to have a country left." During their Friday meeting, by harshly blaming Zelenskyy for "gambling with World War III," Trump intended to force Ukraine into clinching the agreement.

Through these maneuvers, Trump has showcased his “art of the deal” in pressuring Ukraine to comply with his demands. The purpose, apparently, is to grab as much as possible from the country. But this is not what Kyiv is ready to accept. Zelenskyy, prior to his US trip, has made it clear that he is "not signing something that 10 generations of Ukrainians will have to repay."

Zelenskyy wants security guarantees from Washington. But Trump only wants to get the money back without making any firm security promise. "Maybe until we have a deal with Russia" – this is how Trump responded when asked about whether Washington will continue to supply ammunition to Ukraine.

Having been involved in a conflict that has already killed tens of thousands, Ukraine can easily predict its future under Trump's mediation: Accepting Russia's control over some of its "territories," giving up the hope of NATO membership, coerced to hand revenues from its mineral resources to the US, and obtaining no security guarantees from the United States.

On the European front, Trump has repeatedly asked the EU to bear the responsibility of "protecting" Ukraine.

And don't forget about the colossal profits the US has reaped from Western anti-Russia sanctions.

As a result of the boycott of Russian oil and gas, the US has taken the top spot as Europe's supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) since the outbreak of the conflict. Europe accounted for 55 percent of total US LNG exports last year, according to financial firm LSEG. The EU's LNG imports from the US in 2023 nearly doubled from the amount in 2021, according to the European Commission.

And the US sells its gas at higher prices than Russia. "This is happening now, so in the future prices will rise even more, and the United States will benefit more," Croatian economic analyst Milivoj Pasicek said.

While all the parties concerned are losing from the conflict, the US, in contrast, is making a fortune. With so-called "peace" talks, Trump's ultimate purpose as a businessman-turned-politician is to extract as much as possible from Ukraine and European countries. This is the main reason behind the widening rift between the US and Europe, ultimately reducing Zelenskky's US trip into a farce. (Source: CGTN)