Earlier this week, President Zelenskyy and Donald Trump had a tense encounter.

The Ukrainian president flew to Washington, DC, on Friday, February 28, to meet with President Trump and his vice president, JD Vance.

In recent weeks, Trump has invited a number of heads of state to the White House, including Emmanuel Macron of France and Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom.

These discussions appear to go rather smoothly, but Zelenskyy’s conversation with Trump, in which the 78-year-old accused Zelenskyy of “gambling with World War 3” in the midst of the nation’s continuing struggle with Russia, did not go as planned.

“You don’t have the cards right now,” Trump said to the Ukrainian. “With us, you start having cards … You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people! You’re gambling with WW |||! You’re gambling with WW |||. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country — this country.”

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has commented on the situation and called it “unfortunate” in light of their tumultuous meeting.

“I am confident that Trump is ‘committed to bring Ukraine to a durable peace’ and committed to NATO,” the president of the military alliance added.

Rutte also called on Zelenskyy to mend fences with the US president.

Speaking of a phone call he had with the Ukrainian leader on Friday, he said: “What I told to President Zelenskyy is that I said, I think you have to find a way, dear Volodymyr, to restore your relationship with Donald Trump and the American administration.

“That is important going forward.”

Starmer gave Zelenskky a warm welcome when he arrived in the UK and reassured him that he had “full backing across the United Kingdom.”

“Let me just say that you’re very, very welcome here in Downing Street,” he told the Ukrainian President who has now been at war with Russia for three years.

Starmer continued: “That is the people of the United Kingdom coming out to demonstrate how much they support you, how much they support Ukraine, and our absolute determination to stand with you – unwavering determination – and to achieve what we both want to achieve, which is a lasting peace.”

“A lasting peace for Ukraine based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine – so important for Ukraine, so important for Europe and so important for the United Kingdom,” the prime minister of the United Kingdom stated.

According to reports, Zelenskyy will meet with King Charles today (March 2) while in England.